Histories

Herodotus

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

So the Milesians went away in sorrow, as men robbed of their possessions; but Glaucus journeyed to Delphi [22.5167,38.4917] (Perseus) Delphi to question the oracle. When he asked the oracle whether he should seize the money under oath, the Pythian priestess threatened him in these verses:

  1. Glaucus son of Epicydes, it is more profitable now
  2. To prevail by your oath and seize the money.
  3. Swear, for death awaits even the man who swears true.
  4. But Oath has a son, nameless; he is without hands
  5. Or feet, but he pursues swiftly, until he catches
  6. And destroys all the family and the entire house.
  7. The line of a man who swears true is better later on.
When Glaucus heard this, he entreated the god to pardon him for what he had said. The priestess answered that to tempt the god and to do the deed had the same effect.