Cyropaedia

Well said Croesus on hearing these words, permit me to say to any Lydians that I meet that I have secured from you the promise not to permit any pillaging nor to allow the women and children to be carried off, and that I, in return for that, have given you my solemn promise that you should get from the Lydians of their own free will everything there is of beauty or value in Sardis.

For when they hear this, I am sure that whatever fair possession man or woman has will to come to you; and next year you will again find the city just as full of wealth as it is now; whereas, if you pillage it completely, you will find even the industrial arts utterly ruined; and they say that these are the fountain of wealth.

But when you have seen what is brought in, you will still have the privilege of deciding about plundering the city. And first of all, he went on, send to my treasuries and let your guards obtain from my guards what is there. All this, accordingly, Cyrus agreed to have done as Croesus suggested.

But pray tell me, Croesus, he resumed,[*](Croesus and the Pythian oracle) what has come of your responses from the oracle at Delphi? For it is said that Apollo has received much service from you and that everything that you do is done in obedience to him.

I would it were so, Cyrus, he answered. But as it is; I have from the very beginning behaved toward Apollo in a way contrary to all that he has advised. How so? asked Cyrus; please explain; for your statement sounds very strange.

At first, he answered, instead of asking the god for the particular favour I needed, I proceeded to put him to the test to see if he could tell the truth. And when even men, if they are gentlemen—to say nothing of a god—discover that they are mistrusted, they have no love for those who mistrust them.

However, as he knew even about the gross absurdities I was engaged in, far as I was from Delphi,[*](See Index, s.v. Croesus, note.) I then sent to him to inquire if I should have male issue.

And at first he did not even answer me; but when I had at last propitiated him, as I thought, by sending many offerings of gold and many of silver and by sacrificing very many victims, then he did answer my question as to what I should do to have sons; and he said that I should have them.

And I had; for not even in this did he speak falsely; but those that were born to me have been no joy to me. For the one has continued dumb until now, and the other, the better of the two, was killed in the flower of his youth. Then, overwhelmed by the afflictions I suffered in connection with my sons, I sent again and inquired of the god what I should do to pass the rest[*](The secret of a happy life) of my life most happily; and he answered me: Knowing thyself, O Croesus—thus shalt thou live and be happy.[*](There is a reference to the famous inscription on the temple at Delphi—γνῶθι σεαυτόν.)