herodotus

three talents and a half were melted away from it. 51. So Crœsushaving finished all these things sent them to Delphi, and with themthese besides:--two mixing bowls of great size, one of gold and theother of silver, of which the golden bowl was placed on the right handas one enters the temple, and the silver on the left, but the placesof these also were changed after the temple was burnt down, and thegolden bowl is now placed in the treasury of the people of Clazomenai,weighing eight and a half talents and twelve pounds over,[51] whilethe silver one is placed in the corner of the vestibule[52] and holdssix hundred amphors[53] (being filled with wine by the Delphians onthe feast of the Theophania): this the people of Delphi say is thework of Theodoros the Samian,[54] and, as I think, rightly, for it isevident to me that the workmanship is of no common kind: moreoverCrœsus sent four silver wine-jars, which stand in the treasury of theCorinthians, and two vessels for lustral water,[55] one of gold andthe other of silver, of which the gold one is inscribed "from theLacedemonians," who say that it is their offering: therein howeverthey do not speak rightly; for this also is from Crœsus, but one ofthe Delphians wrote the inscription upon it, desiring to gratify theLacedemonians; and his name I know but will not make mention of it.The boy through whose hand the water flows is from the Lacedemonians,but neither of the vessels for lustral water. And many other votiveofferings Crœsus sent with these, not specially distinguished, amongwhich are certain castings[56] of silver of a round shape, and also agolden figure of a woman three cubits high, which the Delphians say isa statue of the baker of Crœsus. Moreover Crœsus dedicated theornaments from his wife's neck and her girdles. 52. These are thethings which he sent to Delphi; and to Amphiaraos, having heard of hisvalour and of his evil fate, he dedicated a shield made altogether ofgold throughout, and a spear all of solid gold, the shaft being ofgold also as well as the two points, which offerings were bothremaining even to my time at Thebes in the temple of Ismenian Apollo.53. To the Lydians who were to carry these gifts to the temples Crœsusgave charge that they should ask the Oracles this question also,--whether Crœsus should march against the Persians, and if so, whetherhe should join with himself any army of men as his friends. And whenthe Lydians had arrived at the places to which they had been sent andhad dedicated the votive offerings, they inquired of the Oracles andsaid: "Crœsus, king of the Lydians and of other nations, consideringthat these are the only true Oracles among men, presents to you[57]gifts such as your revelations deserve, and asks you again now whetherhe shall march against the Persians, and if so, whether he shall joinwith himself any army of men as allies." They inquired thus, and theanswers of both the Oracles agreed in one, declaring to Crœsus that ifhe should march against the Persians he should destroy a great empire: