herodotus

with their forces, and conquered them: these men dug the whole trenchround the wall of the city of Samos working in chains. 40. Now Amasis,as may be supposed, did not fail to perceive that Polycrates was verygreatly fortunate, and[31] it was to him an object of concern; and asmuch more good fortune yet continued to come to Polycrates, he wroteupon a paper these words and sent them to Samos: "Amasis to Polycratesthus saith:--It is a pleasant thing indeed to hear that one who is afriend and guest is faring well; yet to me thy great good fortune isnot pleasing, since I know that the Divinity is jealous; and I thinkthat I desire, both for myself and for those about whom I have care,that in some of our affairs we should be prosperous and in othersshould fail, and thus go through life alternately faring[32] well andill, rather than that we should be prosperous in all things: for neveryet did I hear tell of any one who was prosperous in all things anddid not come to an utterly[33] evil end at the last. Now therefore dothou follow my counsel and act as I shall say with respect to thyprosperous fortunes. Take thought and consider, and that which thoufindest to be the most valued by thee, and for the loss of which thouwilt most be vexed in thy soul, that take and cast away in such amanner that it shall never again come to the sight of men; and if infuture from that time forward good fortune does not befall thee inalternation with calamities,[34] apply remedies in the manner by mesuggested." 41. Polycrates, having read this and having perceived byreflection that Amasis suggested to him good counsel, sought to findwhich one of his treasures he would be most afflicted in his soul tolose; and seeking he found this which I shall say:--he had a signetwhich he used to wear, enchased in gold and made of an emerald stone;and it was the work of Theodoros the son of Telecles of Samos.[35]Seeing then that he thought it good to cast this away, he did thus:--he manned a fifty-oared galley with sailors and went on board of ithimself; and then he bade them put out into the deep sea. And when hehad got to a distance from the island, he took off the signet-ring,and in the sight of all who were with him in the ship he threw it intothe sea. Thus having done he sailed home; and when he came to hishouse he mourned for his loss. 42. But on the fifth or sixth day afterthese things it happened to him as follows:--a fisherman having caughta large and beautiful fish, thought it right that this should be givenas a gift to Polycrates. He bore it therefore to the door of thepalace and said that he desired to come into the presence ofPolycrates, and when he had obtained this he gave him the fish,saying: "O king, having taken this fish I did not think fit to bear itto the market, although I am one who lives by the labour of his hands;but it seemed to me that it was worthy of thee and of thy monarchy:therefore I bring it and present it to thee." He then, being pleasedat the words spoken, answered thus: "Thou didst exceedingly well, anddouble thanks are due to thee, for thy words and also for thy gift;