herodotus

they are the children of that god.38. It is clear to me therefore by every kind of proof that Cambyseswas mad exceedingly; for otherwise he would not have attempted toderide religious rites and customary observances. For if one shouldpropose to all men a choice, bidding them select the best customs fromall the customs that there are, each race of men, after examining themall, would select those of his own people; thus all think that theirown customs are by far the best: and so it is not likely that any buta madman would make a jest of such things. Now of the fact that allmen are thus wont to think about their customs, we may judge by manyother proofs and more specially by this which follows:--Dareios in thecourse of his reign summoned those of the Hellenes who were present inhis land, and asked them for what price they would consent to eat uptheir fathers when they died; and they answered that for no pricewould they do so. After this Dareios summoned those Indians who arecalled Callatians, who eat their parents, and asked them in presenceof the Hellenes, who understood what they said by help of aninterpreter, for what payment they would consent to consume with firethe bodies of their fathers when they died; and they cried out aloudand bade him keep silence from such words. Thus then these things areestablished by usage, and I think that Pindar spoke rightly in hisverse, when he said that "of all things law is king."[28]*****39. Now while Cambyses was marching upon Egypt, the Lacedemonians alsohad made an expedition against Samos and against Polycrates the son ofAiakes, who had risen against the government and obtained rule overSamos. At first he had divided the State into three parts and hadgiven a share to his brothers Pantagnotos and Syloson; but afterwardshe put to death one of these, and the younger, namely Syloson, hedrove out, and so obtained possession of the whole of Samos. Then,being in possession,[29] he made a guest-friendship with Amasis theking of Egypt, sending him gifts and receiving gifts in return fromhim. After this straightway within a short period of time the power ofPolycrates increased rapidly, and there was much fame of it not onlyin Ionia, but also over the rest of Hellas: for to whatever part hedirected his forces, everything went fortunately for him: and he hadgot for himself a hundred fifty-oared galleys and a thousand archers,and he plundered from all, making no distinction of any; for it washis wont to say that he would win more gratitude from his friend bygiving back to him that which he had taken, than by not taking atall.[30] So he had conquered many of the islands and also many citiesof the continent, and besides other things he gained the victory in asea-fight over the Lesbians, as they were coming to help the Milesians