Histories

Herodotus

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

That one is to the Lacedaemonians, this one to the seer:

  1. This is a monument to the renowned Megistias,
  2. Slain by the Medes who crossed the Spercheius river.
  3. The seer knew well his coming doom,
  4. But endured not to abandon the leaders of Sparta [22.4417,37.0667] (Perseus) Sparta.

Except for the seer's inscription, the Amphictyons are the ones who honored them by erecting inscriptions and pillars. That of the seer Megistias was inscribed by Simonides son of Leoprepes because of his tie of guest-friendship with the man.[*](As a matter of fact Simonides composed all three inscriptions; but the epitaph of Megistias was the only one which he made at his own cost.)