Histories

Herodotus

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

When the divine answers had been brought back and Croesus learned of them, he was very pleased with the oracles. So, altogether expecting that he would destroy the kingdom of Cyrus, he sent once again to Delphi [22.5,38.483] (inhabited place), Phocis, Central Greece and Euboea, Greece, Europe Pytho and endowed the Delphians, whose number he had learned, with two gold staters[*](The stater was the common gold coin of the Greek world. The value of Croesus' stater was probably about twenty-three shillings of our money.) apiece.

The Delphians, in return, gave Croesus and all Lydians the right of first consulting the oracle, exemption from all charges, the chief seats at festivals, and perpetual right of Delphian citizenship to whoever should wish it.