The Good Book_ A Secular Bible - A. C. Grayling [99]
39. ‘It is necessary for us all to remember the end of life: for it often happens that we have great reason to count ourselves happy,
40. ‘Only to have everything dashed from our hands, and a bitter cup placed there instead.
41. ‘He who unites all the advantages of having what suffices him, and health, and the affection of those close to him,
42. ‘And honourable works, and the enjoyment of these things until the day of his death, is alone a man who can be called happy.
43. ‘If you are such as this, I will give you that name. But otherwise, let us call no man happy until he is dead.’
44. Such was the speech that Solon addressed to Croesus, who thought him an arrant fool because he made no account of present good, but advised men always to wait and mark the end;
45. And therefore Solon departed the court of Croesus without largesse or praise from the king, who saw him leave with much indifference.
Chapter 4
1. At this time Croesus feared the growing power of the Persians under Cyrus,
2. So he resolved to attack first in order to prevent Persia growing yet more powerful, thus threatening his safety.
3. Moreover he had designs on the land of Cappadocia, which he wished to add to his empire;
4. And last but not least, he wished to avenge his brother-in-law Astyages, son of Cyaxerxes and king of the Medes,
5. Who had been defeated by Cyrus the Persian, his Medes taken into the growing Persian empire, and himself made prisoner by Cyrus.
6. Croesus therefore sent to Sparta to form an alliance, and found the Spartans willing, having been recipients of Croesus’ friendliness in the past.
7. And with this and other encouragements of a more foolish kind, Croesus began his preparations for war.
8. Even as he did so he was visited by a Lydian named Sandanis, famed for his wisdom, who came and counselled the king in the following words:
9. ‘Oh Croesus, you are about to make war against men who dress in animal skins,
10. ‘Who are obliged to eat not what they like but what they can get from the unkind and sterile soil of their country;
11. ‘Who do not know wine, but only water; who have neither figs nor any good thing to eat.
12. ‘If you conquer them, what good can you get from them, seeing that they have nothing good of their own?
13. ‘But if they conquer you instead, consider how much that is precious you will lose;
14. ‘For once they get the taste for our pleasant things, they will keep hold of them so tightly that we shall never loosen their grasp again.
15. ‘For my part I am thankful that the Persians have never considered invading us here in Lydia, and I fear for the outcome of going to war against such a hardy and increasing people.’
16. Croesus ignored this advice, and led his army to the banks of the River Halys, marking the border with Cappadocia.
17. Here he encountered a difficulty about how to cross, for there were then no bridges, and the stream was too deep to ford.
18. His problem was solved by the philosopher Thales of Miletus, who was with the army.
19. Thales had the engineers dig a second course for the river, thus dividing its stream so that it flowed on either side of the army’s encampment, making two streams, each easily fordable.
20. After laying waste to the area of the Syrians beyond the Halys, Croesus was confronted by Cyrus’ army in the district of Pteria, and a battle was fought.
21. By the time night fell neither army had gained the upper hand;
22. But as he was the invader and in need of reinforcements, being outnumbered by the Persian forces,
23. Croesus chose to return to Sardis, there to collect his allies with a view to renewing the struggle next spring.
24. On his return to Sardis with these plans in mind, Croesus disbanded his mercenary forces and sent messengers to his allies to summon them for the following spring.
25. He never guessed that Cyrus would not do the same.
26. For Cyrus, knowing that Croesus would stand down his army and devote himself to preparations for the following year,
27. Decided to keep his