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.

So Glaucus summoned the Milesian strangers and gave them back their money. But hear now, Athenians, why I began to tell you this story: there is today no descendant of Glaucus, nor any household that bears Glaucus' name; he has been utterly rooted out of Sparta [22.4417,37.0667] (Perseus) Sparta. So good is it not even to think anything concerning a trust except giving it back on demand!”

Thus spoke Leutychides; but even so the Athenians would not listen to him, and he departed. The Aeginetans, before paying the penalty for the violence they had done to the Athenians to please the Thebans, acted as follows: blaming the Athenians and deeming themselves wronged, they prepared to take vengeance on the Athenians, who were now celebrating a quinquennial festival at Sunium. The Aeginetans set an ambush and captured the sacred ship, with many leading Athenians on board, and put in prison the men they seized.