Histories

Herodotus

Herodotus. Godley, Alfred Denis, translator. Cambridge, MA; London: Harvard University Press; William Heinemann, Ltd., 1920-1925 (printing).

Then, as they themselves say, the priestess gave them this answer in iambic verse:

  1. “Do not wall or trench the isthmus:
  2. Zeus would have given you an island, if he had wanted to.”

At this answer from the priestess, the Cnidians stopped their digging, and when Harpagus came against them with his army they surrendered to him without resistance.

There were Pedaseans dwelling inland above Bodrum [27.466,37.5] (inhabited place), Mugla Ili, Ege kiyilari, Turkey, Asia Halicarnassus; when any misfortune was approaching them or their neighbors, the priestess of Athena grew a long beard. This had happened to them thrice. These were the only men near Caria [28,37.5] (region (general)), Turkey, Asia Caria who held out for long against Harpagus, and they gave him the most trouble; they fortified a hill called Lide.