Prompts

Question 1

Having gone abroad to Sardis,

Answer 1

Solon came to Croesus. After having arrived, he was entertained as a guest by Croesus in the royal palace. Afterwards, on the third or fourth day, when Croesus had given the order, his attendants led Solon round throughout the treasure chambers, and pointed out all the great wealth that there was. And as he was gazing at everything, Croesus asked the following…

Question 2

‘Athenian guest,

Answer 2

a significant report concerning you has reached us, on account of both your wisdom and your travel. And now the desire has come over me to ask if you have already seen someone who is the most fortunate of all people. He asked these things, expecting to be the most fortunate of all men.

Question 3

But Solon, using no flattery

Answer 3

but employing the truth, says: ‘O king, The Athenian Tellos’. And Croesus, openly astonished at what had been said, asked sharply: ‘How indeed do you judge Tellos to be the most fortunate?’
And he said: ‘For one thing, Tellos had both fine and noble sons, and he saw children born to all of them, and all of them having survived; and for smithing thing, the end of his life was glorious

Question 4

For when battle came to the Athenians

Answer 4

against their neighbours in Eleusis, having gone to help and having put the enemy in flight, he died very nobly. Furthermore the Athenians both buried him at public expense at the place where he fell, and they honoured him greatly.”

Question 5

And when Solon described Tellos’ situation

Answer 5

Croesus asked whom he saw in second place after that man, expecting at least that he would certainly win second prize. But he said: “both Kleobis and Biton. For they had, being of the Argive race, both sufficient livelihood available, and in addition to that, strength of body of this kind: not only were they both prize-winners, but moreover this story is told.

Question 6

When the feast

Answer 6

of Hera was on, it was absolutely necessary for their mother to be conveyed by wagon to the temple. But the oxen had not appeared from the field on time. And the young men, having slipped under the yoke themselves, pulled the wagon, and on the wagon rode their mother. Having conveyed her 45 stades, they arrived at the temple.

Question 7

Having done these things,

Answer 7

And having been seen by the festive gathering, an excellent end to their life came about for these men. And the god showed in these men how it is better for a man to have died than to live. For the Argive men standing around were congratulating the young men for their strength, but the Argive women were congratulating their mother for the sort of children she had.

Question 8

And their mother,

Answer 8

being overjoyed by both the deed and the talk, standing opposite the statue, prayed to the god to give both Kleobis and Biton the best fortune a man can meet with

Question 9

And after that prayer,

Answer 9

when they had both sacrificed and feasted, having gone to sleep in the temple itself, the young men no longer got up, but this was the end they had. The Argives, having made images of them, set them up at Delphi, on the grounds that they were the best of men.

Question 10

Solon indeed was awarding

Answer 10

second prize for good fortune to these men. But Croesus hastily said: ‘O Athenian guest, is my good fortune so discarded as nothing indeed, that you have not even considered us worth as much as common men? And he said: ‘O Croesus, you ask my about the affairs of men, but I know that god is wholly both envious and troublesome.

Question 11

And you appear to me

Answer 11

to be both greatly wealthy, and to be a king over many men. However, I cannot say that you are fortunate until such time as you have died nobly and I may learn about your life. It is necessary to examine how the end of every matter turns out: for indeed having offered a glimpse of happiness to many, god utterly overturns them.

Question 12

In saying these things to Croesus

Answer 12

Solon in no way pleased him. Considering him of no account, Croesus has sent him away, very much thinking him to be ignorant, he who, having disregarded his present good fortune, ordered him to look at the end of every matter.

Question 13

But after Solon departed

Answer 13

great retribution from god befell Croesus, presumably because he considered himself to be the most fortunate of all men. For the Persians both captured Sardis and took Croesus himself prisoner, having reigned for 14 years. And having captured him, they led him to Cyrus.

Question 14

And he, having heaped up

Answer 14

a great pyre, forced to ascend it both Croesus tied up in chains, and twice seven Lydian children alongside him. And to Croesus, standing on the pure, although he was in such great misfortune, the wisdom of Solon came to him, how it was spoken with divine inspiration: the word ‘the fortune of those alive is nothing’.
And having collected himself and having groaned aloud after a long silence, he called Solon by name 3 times

Question 15

And Cyrus, having heard him,

Answer 15

ordered his interpreters to ask Croesus whom he was calling out to. And they, going to him, made these enquiries. But Croesus for a long time kept silent while being asked. But afterwards he told how Solon once came to him, being an Athenian, and having gazed at the whole of his wealth, dismissed it as trivial.

Question 16

And everything turned out

Answer 16

for him as that man had said, speaking no more of himself than of any mortal, and especially those seeming to themselves to be fortunate. Croesus was explaining these matters, but with the pyre already lit the outer edges were burning.

Question 17

And Cyrus, having heard from the interpreters

Answer 17

what Croesus said, both changing his mind and realising that he himself too, being mortal, was giving another mortal man to the fire, who had been no less than himself in good fortune, ordered the fire which was burning to be put out as quickly as possible, and for both Croesus and those with Croesus to be brought down. But even though they tried, they were no longer able to control the fire

Question 18

Then Croesus, learning of Cyrus’

Answer 18

change of mind, shouted out to Apollo, calling upon him to stand beside him and rescue him from his present disaster. He, crying, called upon the god. And from the sky both clear and calm there suddenly rushed over a cloud, and both a storm broke out and it rained with violent water, and the fire was completely extinguished

Question 19

The Almeonids were illustrious

Answer 19

in Athens in the past too, but from the time of Alcmeon, and later from the time of Megacles, they became especially illustrious. For Alcmeon became the supporter of the Lydians from Sardis who had come from Croesus, and he received them willingly.

Question 20

And when Croesus found this out

Answer 20

he summons him to Sardis. When he arrived Croesus makes himself gift of as much gold as he is able to carry off on his own person in one go. And Alcmeon, having on a large tunic and leaving a deep fold in the tunic, and having put on the widest boots he could find, went to the treasury.

Question 21

And falling into

Answer 21

the pile of gold dust, he first stuffed into his lower legs as much gold as his boots could hold, and afterwards. Having filled the whole fold with gold and having sprinkled the hair of his head with gold dust, and having taken more into his mouth, he went out of the treasury, dragging his boots with difficulty, and resembling anything other than a man. For both his mouth had been stuffed and every part of him had become swollen.

Question 22

And laughter came from Croesus

Answer 22

when he saw him, and he gives him all of that gold, and in addition the same amount again.