Herodotus - The Histories.pdf

36 V Herodotus
own brother. For this my father drove me from
the land, and I lost all. Then fled I here to thee.”
“Thou art the offspring,” Croesus rejoined, “of a
house friendly to mine, and thou art come to
friends. Thou shalt want for nothing so long as
thou abidest in my dominions. Bear thy misfortune
as easily as thou mayest, so will it go best
with thee.” Thenceforth Adrastus lived in the
palace of the king.
It chanced that at this very same time there was in
the Mysian Olympus a huge monster of a boar,
which went forth often from this mountain country,
and wasted the corn-fields of the Mysians.
Many a time had the Mysians collected to hunt
the beast, but instead of doing him any hurt, they
came off always with some loss to themselves. At
length they sent ambassadors to Croesus, who
delivered their message to him in these words:
“Oh! king, a mighty monster of a boar has
appeared in our parts, and destroys the labour of
our hands. We do our best to take him, but in
vain. Now therefore we beseech thee to let thy son
accompany us back, with some chosen youths