Sources of the moth and lamp imagery

[Gregory Bailey]

Dear List,

Can anyone enlighten me as to the earliest reference to the image of the deluded moth being attracted by the lamp and then burnt in its flame.  Bhartṛhari (VŚ 3, 82) gives an instance of it.

Any help would be appreciated as another colleague has requested information about this as the image is used in nationalist posters of the thirties.

Thanks,

Greg Bailey


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