The histories of Herodotus;

36 HERODOTUS—BOOK I, CLIO [88-90
your city, and plundering your riches."
M Not so," Croesus
replied ; " they are neither sacking my city nor plundering
my riches, for they no longer belong to me, but they are ravaging
what belongs to you." The reply of Croesus attracted
the attention of Cyrus; he therefore ordered all the rest to
withdraw, and asked Croesus what he thought should be done
in the present conjuncture. He answered : " Since the gods
have made me your servant, I think it my duty to acquaint
you, if I perceive anything deserving of remark. The Persians,
who are by nature overbearing, are poor. If, there-
fore, you permit them to plunder and possess great riches,
you may expect the following results : whoso acquires the
greatest possessions, be assured, will be ready to rebel. Therefore,
if you approve what I say, adopt the following plan:
place some of your body-guard as sentinels at every gate,
with orders to take the booty from all those who would go
out, and to acquaint them that the tenth must of necessity
be consecrated to Jupiter; thus you will not incur the odium
of taking away their property, and they, acknowledging your
intention to be just, will readily obey." Cyrus, when he heard
this, was exceedingly delighted, as he thought the suggestion
a very good one ; having therefore commended it highly, and
ordered his guards to do what Croesus suggested, he addressed
Croesus as follows : " Croesus, since you are resolved to display
the deeds and words of a true king, ask whatever boon
you desire on the instant." " Sir," he answered, " the most
acceptable favour you can bestow upon me is to let me send
my fetters to the god of the Grecians, whom I have honoured
more than any other deity, and to ask him if it be his custom
to deceive those who deserve well of him." Cyrus asked him
what cause he had to complain that induced him to make this
request : upon which Croesus recounted to him all his projects,
and the answers of the oracles, and particularly the offerings
he had presented ; and how he was incited by the oracle to
make war against the Persians. When he had said this, he
again besought him to grant him leave to reproach the god
with these things. But Cyrus, smiling, said, " You shall not
only receive this boon from me, but whatever else you may
at any time desire." When Croesus heard this, he sent certain
Lydians to Delphi with orders to lay his fetters at the
entrance of the temple, and to ask the god if he were not
ashamed to have encouraged Croesus by his oracles to make
war on the Persians, assuring him that he would put an end
to the power of Cyrus, of which war such were the first fruits
(commanding them at these words to show the fetters), and