Timon

Tell me,

1. Who is the other man yonder, the haughty one?

Iliad3, 226 served as a model for this line also. Not a Greek, it seems, from his dress at least.

HERMES That is Cyrus, Charon, the son of Cambyses, who has already transferred to the Persians the empire that once belonged to the Medes. Moreover, he recently conquered the Assyrians and brought Babylon to terms, and now he appears to be meditating a campaign against Lydia, with the idea of overthrowing Croesus and ruling the world.

CHARON And Croesus, where is he ?

HERMES Look over there towards the great acropolis with the triple wall. That is Sardis, and now you see Croesus himself sitting on a golden throne, talking with Solon of Athens. Would you like to listen to what they are saying ?[*](The conversation that follows is based on Herodotus 1.29-33.) CHARON By all means.

CROESUS My friend from Athens, as you have seen my riches, my treasuries, all the bullion that I have and the rest of my splendor, tell me whom do you consider the most fortunate man in the world ?

CHARON What will Solon say to that?

HERMES Never fear ; nothing ignoble, Charon.

SOLON Fortunate men are few, Croesus, but I consider that of all the men I know, the most fortunate are Cleobis and Biton, the sons of the priestess at Argos, who died together the other day when they had harnessed themselves and drawn their mother to the temple on the wagon.[*](In Herodotus Tellus gets the first place.) CROESUS . Very well, let them have the first rank in good fortune. But who would be the second? :

SOLON Tellus of Athens, who lived happily and died for his country.

CROESUS But what about me, knave? Don’t you think I am fortunate ?

SOLON I do not know, Croesus, and shall not until you come to the close of your life. Death is a sure test in such matters, that and a fortunate life right up to the end.

CHARON Thank you kindly, Solon, for not forgetting us,[*](Himself and Pluto.) but demanding the decision of such matters to be made right at the ferry.

But who are those men whom Croesus is sending out, and what are they carrying on their shoulders ?[*](Compare Herodotus i. 50 ff. The conversation between Solon and Croesus on the subject of the ingots is Lucian’s own contribution.)

HERMES He is making an offering of golden ingots to Apollo at Delphi to pay for the prophecies which will bring him to grief a little later on. The man is monstrously daft on divination.

CHARON Is that gold, the bright substance that shines, the pale yellow substance with a cast of red? This is the first time that I have seen it, though I am always hearing of it.

HERMES That is it, Charon, the name that they sing of and fight for.

CHARON Really I don’t see what good there is about it, except perhaps for one thing, that its bearers find it heavy.

HERMES You do not know how many wars there have been on account of it, how many plots, perjuries, murders, imprisonments, trading ventures, and enslavements.

CHARON On account of this substance, not much different from bronze? I know bronze, for, as you are aware, I collect an obol from everyone who makes the downward journey.

HERMES Yes, but bronze is plentiful, so that they do not prize it very highly, while this is dug up by the miners at a great depth in small quantities. It comes from the earth, however, like lead and the rest of the metals.

CHARON Men are terribly stupid, by what you say, since they have such a passion for a yellow, heavy substance.

HERMES Well, at any rate Solon yonder does not seem to love it, Charon, as you see, for he is laughing at Croesus and his barbarian boastfulness, and to my mind he wants to ask him a question. Let us listen, then.

SOLON Tell me, Croesus, do you really think that Apollo has any need of these ingots?

CROEsUS Good Heavens, yes! He has nothing to match them among the votive offerings at Delphi.

SOLON Then you expect to make the god happy if he adds ingots of gold to the rest of his possessions ?

CROESUS Why not?

SOLON They are very poor in Heaven from what you say, since they have to send and get gold from Lydia if they want it.

CROESUS Why, where else can there be as much gold as there is in our country ?

SOLON Tell me, is iron produced in Lydia ?

CROESUS Not to any great extent.

SOLON Then you are poor in the better metal.

CROESUS In what way is iron better than gold ?

SOLON If you will answer my questions without getting angry, you will find out.

CROESUS Ask them, Solon.

SOLON Who is the better man, the one who saves a life or the one who is saved by him ?

CROESUS The one who saves a life of course.

SOLON Then if Cyrus attacks the Lydians, as rumour has it that he will, shall you get swords of gold made for your army, or will iron be necessary in that case?

CROESUS Iron, certainly.

SOLON Yes, and if you should not provide iron, your gold would go off to Persia in captivity.

CROESUS Don’t speak of such a thing, man!

SOLON I pray it may not turn out that way; but you clearly admit that iron is better than gold.

CROESUS Then would you have me offer ingots of iron to the god and call the gold back again ?

SOLON He will have no need of iron either, not he! Whether you offer bronze or gold, your offering will be a boon and a blessing to ethers than he—to the Phocians or the Boeotians or the Delphians themselves, or else to some tyrant or freebooter; but the god takes little interest in your gold-work.

CROESUS You are always at war with my wealth and begrudge me it.