the history-第12章

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oeades　by　name；　resolved　to　approach　the　citadel　and　attempt　it　at　a　place　where　no　guards　were　ever　set。　On　this　side　the　rock　was　so　precipitous；　and　the　citadel　（as　it　seemed）　so　impregnable；　that　no　fear　was　entertained　of　its　being　carried　in　this　place。　Here　was　the　only　portion　of　the　circuit　round　which　their　old　king　Meles　did　not　carry　the　lion　which　his　leman　bore　to　him。　For　when　the　Telmessians　had　declared　that　if　the　lion　were　taken　round　the　defences；　Sardis　would　be　impregnable；　and　Meles；　in　consequence；　carried　it　round　the　rest　of　the　fortress　where　the　citadel　seemed　open　to　attack；　he　scorned　to　take　it　round　this　side；　which　he　looked　on　as　a　sheer　precipice；　and　therefore　absolutely　secure。　It　is　on　that　side　of　the　city　which　faces　Mount　Tmolus。　Hyroeades；　however；　having　the　day　before　observed　a　Lydian　soldier　descend　the　rock　after　a　helmet　that　had　rolled　down　from　the　top；　and　having　seen　him　pick　it　up　and　carry　it　back；　thought　over　what　he　had　witnessed；　and　formed　his　plan。　He　climbed　the　rock　himself；　and　other　Persians　followed　in　his　track；　until　a　large　number　had　mounted　to　the　top。　Thus　was　Sardis　taken；　and　given　up　entirely　to　pillage。　　　　　With　respect　to　Croesus　himself；　this　is　what　befell　him　at　the　taking　of　the　town。　He　had　a　son；　of　whom　I　made　mention　above；　a　worthy　youth；　whose　only　defect　was　that　he　was　deaf　and　dumb。　In　the　days　of　his　prosperity　Croesus　had　done　the　utmost　that　be　could　for　him；　and　among　other　plans　which　he　had　devised；　had　sent　to　Delphi　to　consult　the　oracle　on　his　behalf。　The　answer　which　he　had　received　from　the　Pythoness　ran　thus：…

　　　　Lydian；　wide…ruling　monarch；　thou　wondrous　simple　Croesus；　　　　　Wish　not　ever　to　hear　in　thy　palace　the　voice　thou　hast　prayed　for　　　　　Uttering　intelligent　sounds。　Far　better　thy　son　should　be　silent！　　　　　Ah！　woe　worth　the　day　when　thine　car　shall　first　list　to　his　　　　　　　accents。

　　　　When　the　town　was　taken；　one　of　the　Persians　was　just　going　to　kill　Croesus；　not　knowing　who　he　was。　Croesus　saw　the　man　coming；　but　under　the　pressure　of　his　affliction；　did　not　care　to　avoid　the　blow；　not　minding　whether　or　no　he　died　beneath　the　stroke。　Then　this　son　of　his；　who　was　voiceless；　beholding　the　Persian　as　he　rushed　towards　Croesus；　in　the　agony　of　his　fear　and　grief　burst　into　speech；　and　said；　〃Man；　do　not　kill　Croesus。〃　This　was　the　first　time　that　he　had　ever　spoken　a　word；　but　afterwards　he　retained　the　power　of　speech　for　the　remainder　of　his　life。　　　　　Thus　was　Sardis　taken　by　the　Persians；　and　Croesus　himself　fell　into　their　hands；　after　having　reigned　fourteen　years；　and　been　besieged　in　his　capital　fourteen　days；　thus　too　did　Croesus　fulfill　the　oracle；　which　said　that　he　should　destroy　a　mighty　empire　by　destroying　his　own。　Then　the　Persians　who　had　made　Croesus　prisoner　brought　him　before　Cyrus。　Now　a　vast　pile　had　been　raised　by　his　orders；　and　Croesus；　laden　with　fetters；　was　placed　upon　it；　and　with　him　twice　seven　of　the　sons　of　the　Lydians。　I　know　not　whether　Cyrus　was　minded　to　make　an　offering　of　the　to　some　god　or　other；　or　whether　he　had　vowed　a　vow　and　was　performing　it；　or　whether；　as　may　well　be；　he　had　heard　that　Croesus　was　a　holy　man；　and　so　wished　to　see　if　any　of　the　heavenly　powers　would　appear　to　save　him　from　being　burnt　alive。　However　it　might　be；　Cyrus　was　thus　engaged；　and　Croesus　was　already　on　the　pile；　when　it　entered　his　mind　in　the　depth　of　his　woe　that　there　was　a　divine　warning　in　the　words　which　had　come　to　him　from　the　lips　of　Solon；　〃No　one　while　he　lives　is　happy。〃　When　this　thought　smote　him　he　fetched　a　long　breath；　and　breaking　his　deep　silence；　groaned　out　aloud；　thrice　uttering　the　name　of　Solon。　Cyrus　caught　the　sounds；　and　bade　the　interpreters　inquire　of　Croesus　who　it　was　he　called　on。　They　drew　near　and　asked　him；　but　he　held　his　peace；　and　for　a　long　time　made　no　answer　to　their　questionings；　until　at　length；　forced　to　say　something；　he　exclaimed；　〃One　I　would　give　much　to　see　converse　with　every　monarch。〃　Not　knowing　what　he　meant　by　this　reply；　the　interpreters　begged　him　to　explain　himself；　and　as　they　pressed　for　an　answer；　and　grew　to　be　troublesome；　he　told　them　how；　a　long　time　before；　Solon；　an　Athenian；　had　come　and　seen　all　his　splendour；　and　made　light　of　it；　and　how　whatever　he　had　said　to　him　had　fallen　out　exactly　as　he　foreshowed；　although　it　was　nothing　that　especially　concerned　him；　but　applied　to　all　mankind　alike；　and　most　to　those　who　seemed　to　themselves　happy。　Meanwhile；　as　he　thus　spoke；　the　pile　was　lighted；　and　the　outer　portion　began　to　blaze。　Then　Cyrus；　hearing　from　the　interpreters　what　Croesus　had　said；　relented；　bethinking　himself　that　he　too　was　a　man；　and　that　it　was　a　fellow…man；　and　one　who　had　once　been　as　blessed　by　fortune　as　himself；　that　he　was　burning　alive；　afraid；　moreover；　of　retribution；　and　full　of　the　thought　that　whatever　is　human　is　insecure。　So　he　bade　them　quench　the　blazing　fire　as　quickly　as　they　could；　and　take　down　Croesus　and　the　other　Lydians；　which　they　tried　to　do；　but　the　flames　were　not　to　be　mastered。　　　　　Then；　the　Lydians　say　that　Croesus；　perceiving　by　the　efforts　made　to　quench　the　fire　that　Cyrus　had　relented；　and　seeing　also　that　all　was　in　vain；　and　that　the　men　could　not　get　the　fire　under；　called　with　a　loud　voice　upon　the　god　Apollo；　and　prayed　him；　if　he　ever　received　at　his　hands　any　acceptable　gift；　to　come　to　his　aid；　and　deliver　him　from　his　present　danger。　As　thus　with　tears　he　besought　the　god；　suddenly；　though　up　to　that　time　the　sky　had　been　clear　and　the　day　without　a　breath　of　wind；　dark　clouds　gathered；　and　the　storm　burst　over　their　heads　with　rain　of　such　violence；　that　the　flames　were　speedily　extinguished。　Cyrus；　convinced　by　this　that　Croesus　was　a　good　man　and　a　favourite　of　heaven；　asked　him　after　he　was　taken　off　the　pile；　〃Who　it　was　that　had　persuaded　him　to　lead　an　army　into　his　country；　and　so　become　his　foe　rather　than　continue　his　friend？〃　to　which　Croesus　made　answer　as　follows：　〃What　I　did；　oh！　king；　was　to　thy　advantage　and　to　my　own　loss。　If　there　be　blame；　it　rests　with　the　god　of　the　Greeks；　who　encouraged　me　to　begin　the　war。　No　one　is　so　foolish　as　to　prefer　war　to　peace；　in　which；　instead　of　sons　burying　their　fathers；　fathers　bury　their　sons。　But　the　gods　willed　it　so。〃　　　　　Thus　did　Croesus　speak。　Cyrus　then　ordered　his　fetters　to　be　taken　off；　and　made　him　sit　down　near　himself；　and　paid　him　much　respect；　looking　upon　him；　as　did　also　the　courtiers；　with　a　sort　of　wonder。　Croesus；　wrapped　in　thought；　uttered　no　word。　After　a　while；　happening　to　turn　and　perceive　the　Persian　soldiers　engaged　in　plundering　the　town；　he　said　to　Cyrus；　〃May　I　now　tell　thee；　oh！　king；　what　I　have　in　my　mind；　or　is　silence　best？〃　Cyrus　bade　him　speak　his　mind　boldly。　Then　he　put　this　question：　〃What　is　it；　oh！　Cyrus；　which　those　men　yonder　are　doing　so　busily？〃　〃Plundering　thy　city；〃　Cyrus　answered；　〃and　carrying　off　thy　riches。〃　〃Not　my　city；〃　rejoined　the　other；　〃nor　my　riches。　They　are　not　mine　any　more。　It　is　thy　wealth　which　they　are　pillaging。〃　　　　　Cyrus；　struck　by　what　Croesus　had　said；　bade　all　the　court　to　withdraw；　and　then　asked　Croesus　what　he　thought　it　best　for　him　to　do　as　regarded　the　plundering。　Croesus　answered；　〃Now　that　the　gods　have　made　me　thy　slave；　oh！　Cyrus；　it　seems　to　me　that　it　is　my　part；　if　I　see　anything　to　thy　advantage；　to　show　it　to　thee。　Thy　subjects；　the　Persians；　are　a　poor　people　with　a　proud　spirit。　If　then　thou　lettest　them　pillage　and　possess　themselves　of　great　wealth；　I　will　tell　thee　what　thou　hast　to　expect　at　their　hands。　The　man　who　gets　the　most；　look　to　having　him　rebel　against　thee。　Now　then；　if　my　words　please　thee；　do　thus；　oh！　king：…　Let　some　of　thy　bodyguards　be　placed　as　sentinels　at　each　of　the　city　gates；　and　let　them　take　their　booty　from　the　soldiers　as　they　leave　the　town；　and　tell　them　that　they　do　so　because　the　tenths　are　due　to　Jupiter。　So　wilt　thou　escape　the　hatred　they　would　feel　if　the　plunder　were　taken　away　from　them　by　force；　and　they；　seeing　that　what　is　proposed　is　just；　will　do　it　willingly。〃　　　　　Cyrus　was　beyond　measure　pleased　with　this　advice；　so　excellent　did　it　seem　to　him。　He　praised　Croesus　highly；　and　gave　o