Herodotus Tweets - Book 1

1.216 The Massagetae share their women. When they get old, their relatives kill and eat them (in a stew). The Massagetae also drink milk.

1.215 As for customs, the Massagetae live much like the Scythians. They use gold & bronze for their weapons, as they have no iron or silver.

1.214 Cyrus died in the next battle fought against the Massagetae. Tomyris beheaded his corpse and put his head in a blood-filled wineskin.

1.213 Cyrus ignored her. Spargapises asked his captors to unchain him. When he was free of his bonds, he killed himself.

1.212 Tomyris derided Cyrus for his victory won by stealth. She warned him to surrender her son and withdraw or else.

1.211 Cyrus set Croesus’ trap, using human bait. They killed or took prisoner 1/3 of the enemy army. Tomyris’ son Spargapises was captured.

1.210 Hystaspes swore he would turn Darius over to Cyrus to do with as he wished.

1.209 Cyrus dreamt that a youth, Darius, was plotting against him. He bid Darius' father Hystaspes go to Persia & hold him for questioning.

1.208 Cyrus took Croesus' advice & crossed into Tomyris' territory. He left Croesus and Persia itself in the care of his son Cambyses.

1.207 But Croesus urged him to take the war to Tomyris and to set a trap in her territory, using food and part of his army as bait.

1.206 Tomyris sent a herald to suggest they agree to fight in either her land or his--Cyrus' choice. His advisors wanted to fight in Persia.

1.205 Cyrus tried to woo their widowed queen, Tomyris, but she saw through him. He then marched to the Araxes and began preparing to cross.

1.204 The Massagetae lived to the east of the Caspian. Cyrus wanted to attack them because his birth made him seem to be more than human.

1.203 The Caspian is landlocked and measures 15 days of rowing long by 8 wide. It's bordered on the west by the Caucasus Mountains.

1.202 The Araxes River is said to have large islands in it the size of Lesbos. It empties into the Caspian Sea.

1.201 After conquering Babylon, Cyrus decided to subdue the Massagetae, who live to the east, beyond the Araxes River.

1.200 These are the customs of the Babylonians, among whom there are three tribes that eat nothing but fish.

1.199 Their worst custom is this: every woman must go once in her life to the temple and have sex with a stranger, whoever pays her first.

1.198 They embalm their dead in honey, and burn incense and bathe after intercourse.

1.197 They crowdsource medical care: the sick go to the agora, and passers-by suggest remedies if they have experience of the same symptoms.

1.196 They used to hold annual auctions of marriageable girls: the prettiest brought the highest price; the ugliest came with biggest dowry.

1.195 The people wear long hair and peaked caps. They carry staffs and perfume their whole bodies with myrrh.

1.194 After Babylon itself, the greatest thing in Assyria are the boats that go downstream only: they are deconstructed & returned overland.

1.193 Assyria doesn't get much rain, but the country is crisscrossed by canals, so that the land is irrigated with water from the river.

1.192 The territory of Babylon is the most powerful of all Persian satrapies. It alone supports the king and his army for 1/3 of the year.

1.191 Cyrus finally captured the city by diverting the Euphrates and thus lowering its water level. His men entered along the riverbed.

1.190 In the spring Cyrus laid siege to Babylon. The Babylonians had stockpiled provisions, however, and weren't terribly inconvenienced.

1.189 One of Cyrus' sacred horses was carried away when they crossed the Gyndes. Cyrus punished the river by diverting it into 360 channels.

1.188 It was against Nitocris' son Labynetus that Cyrus made war. He invaded Assyria, bringing his own water with him on numerous wagons.

1.187 An inscription on her tomb said $ was inside if a future king needed it. Darius opened it but found only a msg berating him for greed.

1.186 She also had a bridge built that connected the two halves of the city of Babylon.

1.185 The second queen, Nitocris, diverted the Euphrates River so that navigation into Babylon would be slowed.

1.184 Among Babylon's many sovereigns were two queens. The first was Semiramis, who ruled 5 generations before the second.

1.183 There was also a fifteen-foot, solid gold statue in the sanctuary in Cyrus' day, but Xerxes later took it.

1.182 In that temple, the Chaldaeans say (though I don't believe it), the god himself comes and rests on a couch.

1.181 The royal palace is in one half of the city & in the other are a temple of Zeus & 8 towers, one atop the other. The last has a temple.

1.180 The Euphrates divides Babylon in half. The roads are straight, and those that run crosswise end at the river.

1.179 The earth taken from the trench was baked into bricks which were used to build the walls, in which were set a hundred bronze gates.

1.178 Cyrus attacked Assyria, the strongest city of which was Babylon--a great, walled, square city surrounded by a water-filled trench.

1.177 While Harpagus was busy in lower Asia, Cyrus was busy subduing the upper part.

1.176 Still, they were defeated, as were the Lycians: e.g., the Xanthians died to a man (after burning their wives/children/possessions).

1.175 The Pedasians held out longer than most against Harpagus. (The priestess of Athena there would grew a beard when trouble threatened.)

1.174 So Harpagus enslaved the Carians. The Cnidians surrendered to him without a fight after an oracle more or less suggested they give up.

1.173 The Lycians, however, are from Crete. They're unusual in that they take their names and cite their ancestry from their mothers' side.

1.172 I say the Caunians are indigenous, though they say they're from Crete. They're like the Carians in their speech but not their customs.

1.171 Harpagus also marched against the Carians, who had emigrated from the islands long before (though they say they are indigenous).

1.170 The Ionians convened and a wise man, Bias of Priene, suggested they all emigrate together to Sardinia. He didn't persuade them.

1.169 The other Ionians stayed put, fought Harpagus, and were enslaved. (Except for Miletus which, as I said, had a deal with Cyrus.)

1.168 The Teians likewise fled their city when Harpagus attacked. They hightailed it to Thrace and founded Abdera.

1.167 The Etruscans stoned to death the crews of the ships the Phocaeans lost in battle. The rest of the Phocaeans founded a city in Italy.

1.166 They stayed in Corsica for years, but after a Pyrrhic victory against the Etruscans & Carthaginians, they set sail again, for Rhegium.

1.165 Chios didn't work out so the Phocaeans set sail again, for Corsica. They stopped 1st in Phocaea & killed the guards Harpagus had left.

1.164 Harpagus besieged Phocaea, but the Phocaeans loaded their peeps & property into ships & sailed to Chios. Persia got the deserted city.

1.163 Harpagus first attacked Phocaea, which was surrounded by an expensive wall made of well-fitted stones.

1.162 Harpagus--whom Astyages had tricked into eating his own son--succeeded Mazares in command. He came to Ionia & took a bunch of cities.

1.161 With Pactyes captured, Cyrus’ general Mazares attacked the cities that had taken part in the siege of Sardis. Then he got sick & died.

1.160 Faced w/bad options the Cymaeans neither kept nor surrendered Pactyes but sent him off to Chios. The Chians handed him over to Persia.

1.159 The god again bid Cyme give up P. When pushed, he said he wanted the Cymaeans to be destroyed for impiety and to stop bugging him.

1.158 An oracle advised that Cyme comply & surrender Pactyes, but Aristodicus distrusted it. He & others went to ask the god's advice again.

1.157 Pactyes fled to Cyme before the Persians arrived. Cyrus’ general gave orders to the Lydians re. new lifestyle & bid Cyme surrender P.

1.156 Croesus hoped thereby to save the Lydians. Cyrus was persuaded & issued orders to that effect, and he bid that Pactyes be taken alive.

1.155 Cyrus wanted to enslave the Lydians as punishment, but Croesus suggested he instead issue edicts that would leave them effeminate.

1.154 But Pactyes, the Lydian in charge of Cyrus' treasury, soon revolted. He assembled an army and besieged Tabalus (a Persian) in Sardis.

1.153 Cyrus, unworried, threatened the Spartans in turn. Then he left Sardis in the hands of Tabalus & Pactyes & went w/Croesus to Ecbatana.

1.152 The Ionian/Aeolian req. for help was refused, but the Spartans sent a guy to tell Cyrus they wouldn't allow him to harm a Greek city.

1.151 There are some Aeolian cities around Mt. Ida & on the islands, but it was these 11 Aeolian cities that agreed to act with the Ionians.

1.150 The Smyrnaeans once took in some Ionian fugitives who then seized the city. The Ionians kept Smyrna but gave back movable property.

1.149 Those are the Ionian cities. There are 11 Aeolian cities in Asia. There used to be a 12th, Smyrna, but they lost it to the Ionians.

1.148 The Panionium is a sacred place in Mycale (opposite Samos) where the Ionians congregate.

1.147 But let's just say that the Ionians in Asia are purebred Ionians. (Though anyone of Athenian stock who keeps the Apaturia is Ionian.)

1.146 It's not because those 12 were any more Ionian or more noble than the others. After all, there was a lot of mixing of populations.

1.145 I think the Ionians had a 12-city confederacy because they'd been divided into 12 groups before they were driven from the Peloponnese.

1.144 (The Dorians likewise have a five-city confederacy. It used to be six cities, but Halicarnassus got kicked out.)

1.143 The Milesians were ok as they had a deal w/Cyrus; the islanders bc the Persians weren't seamen. Now, the 12 cities were confederates.

1.142 Ionia has a beautiful climate. Four different dialects are spoken among the 12 Ionian cities, the southernmost of which is Miletus.

1.141 After Lydia fell, the Greeks who'd sided w/Croesus sued for favorable terms. Cyrus' reply: "Too late!" They sent to Sparta for help.

1.140 All this I know from personal knowledge. I've heard, too, things re. their burial practices. But enough of this! Back to the story.

1.139 I've also noticed this--though the Persians themselves haven't: all their names end in -s.

1.138 Lying is the biggest offense among them, followed by indebtedness. They will not spit or urinate in rivers or watch anyone else do so.

1.137 The Persians may not kill someone for a single offense only. They claim that patricide and matricide are unknown among them.

1.136 A man's worth is shown by his valor in battle & the no. of his sons. They teach boys 3 things: horsemanship, archery, & truth-telling.

1.135 They are happy to borrow practices from other cultures. For example, they learned pederasty from the Greeks.

1.134 The Persians honor themselves most among men. Others are ranked according to their distance from Persia: the farther away, the worse.

1.133 The Persians feast on their birthdays and love wine. It is forbidden among them to vomit or urinate in anyone else's presence.

1.132 When a Persian sacrifices, he slays & cuts up an animal, then stews it. Later he takes the meat home. A Magus must be there to chant.

1.131 And now for some Persian customs. They don't build temples or altars, but they do sacrifice, e.g., to Aphrodite, whom they call Mitra.

1.130 That's how Astyages lost his throne after 35 years of rule, and that's the story of how Cyrus came to be king and to dominate Asia.

1.129 In captivity Astyages berated Harpagus: he was stupid for not making himself king and unjust for handing the throne to a Persian.

1.128 After this defeat Astyages impaled the Magi who’d bid him release Cyrus. Later Astyages’ army was again defeated and he was captured.

1.127 Astyages sent an army against the rebels & foolishly made Harpagus its commander. Many of his men joined the Persians in revolt.

1.126 When they returned, Cyrus gave them an object lesson--hard work one day, a feast the next: revolt from Astyages and life will be easy.

1.125 Cyrus, after some thought, assembled the Persians & told them he'd been named their general. He ordered them to report with scythes.

1.124 Cyrus, when he got the hare, slit it open and read the message: Harpagus urged him to lead the Persians in a revolt against Astyages.

1.123 Meanwhile, Harpagus plotted against Astyages. When he had things ready, he sent Cyrus a message re. his plan, hidden in a dead hare.

1.122 In Persia Cyrus spoke much of his adoptive mother Cyno ("dog"), from whose name came the story that Cyrus had been suckled by a bitch.

1.121 Astyages was pleased and told Cyrus the news, that he'd be escorted to Persia to live with his biological parents.

1.120 Astyages asked the Magi--who'd interpreted his vine dream--if Cyrus was yet a threat. They thought he could safely be sent to parents.

1.119 Harpagus sent his boy to Astyages, who cut him up & cooked him & served him to dad for dinner. Harpagus learned later what he'd eaten.

1.118 Astyages pretended Cyrus' survival was for the best. He invited Harpagus to dinner & told him to send his son over to hang with Cyrus.

1.117 Astyages, hearing the story, was furious with Harpagus. He summoned H., who told the truth: that he had farmed out the infanticide.

1.116 Cyrus' appearance, bearing, & age made Astyages suspect the truth. He dismissed the complainant & questioned Mitradates about Cyrus.

1.115 Astyages summoned Mitradates & Cyrus, & Cyrus explained: the boy did not obey him as pretend king & was punished for his defiance.

1.114 When the boy, later called Cyrus, was ten, he whipped a playmate while pretending to be king. The kid's father complained to Astyages.

1.113 So the royal baby was taken in by Mitradates, & the dead baby was dressed in royal clothes & exposed. Later Harpagus' men buried it.

1.112 He showed her the baby & she begged him not to kill it. She'd given birth that day to a stillborn baby & suggested they make a switch.

1.111 Mitradates took the baby home, having learned whose kid it was, & told his wife the story. She'd been near labor herself when he left.

1.110 Harpagus summoned Astyages' herdsman Mitradates & ordered him to expose the baby. If he did not kill it, he would himself be killed.

1.109 Harpagus took the baby home but could not kill it himself, for both sentimental & practical reasons. He decided to outsource the job.

1.108 He then dreamt a vine grew from her vulva & shaded Asia--a sign her kid would replace him. He tasked Harpagus w/killing her newborn.

1.107 Astyages ruled next. He dreamt his daughter Mandane flooded Asia w/urine. Alarmed, he betrothed her to a Persian instead of a Mede.

1.106 The Scythians ruled Asia for 28 years until Cyaxares & the Medes recovered their empire. Cyaxares subdued Assyria except for Babylon.

1.105 They marched on Egypt but were bribed by its king to retreat. They passed through Syria, where some of them plundered a temple.

1.104 The Scythians poured into Asia via a route between the Caucasus Mts. & the Caspian Sea. They defeated the Medes and subdued all Asia.

1.103 Phraortes' son Cyaxares came next. He ruled all of Asia beyond the Halys. But the Scythians invaded while he was besieging Nineveh.

1.102 Deioces ruled 53 yrs & was succeeded by his son Phraortes. He subdued the Persians & much of Asia besides but died fighting Assyria.

1.101 Thus Deioces united the Medes. (There are six Median tribes: the Busae, Parataceni, Struchates, Arizanti, Budii, and Magi.)

1.100 Deioces now judged disputes remotely, the suits brought in to him & his decisions sent out. He had spies and eavesdroppers everywhere.

1.99 Everybody else had to live outside the walls. Meanwhile, no one but royal messengers were admitted to the king’s presence.

1.98 Deioces was the chosen one. He had the Medes build him royal residences (e.g., the many-walled Ecbatana), and he obtained a bodyguard.

1.97 Deioces then stopped his judging, and when society devolved into lawlessness the Medes got together and decided to appoint a king.

1.96 When all on the mainland were free, they relapsed into monarchy as follows. Deioces made himself indispensable by judging disputes.

1.95 Next up: the story of Cyrus and the Persian conquest of Asia. The Medes were the first to revolt and become free of Assyrian rule.

1.94 The Lydians--who are much like Greeks except in that they prostitute their daughters--were conquered by Persia, as I've described.

1.93 The most impressive thing in Lydia is the tomb of Croesus' father Alyattes, which was built in large part by prostitutes.

1.92 BTW, Croesus dedicated stuff to lots of places besides Delphi. Some of it was his half-brother Pantaleon's. Croesus had executed him.

1.91 Delphi explained: Croesus had paid for Gyges' transgression; Apollo had postponed capture of Sardis; Croesus had misunderstood oracles.

1.90 Cyrus was pleased with Croesus' words & bid him name a reward. Croesus wanted to send to Delphi so as to rebuke Apollo for his oracle.

1.89 Cyrus dismissed his peeps & asked Croesus what he suggested be done re. the pillagers. Croesus advised he confiscate pilfered property.

1.88 Cyrus freed Croesus & gazed at him. After a time Croesus advised him to stop his men from plundering Sardis as it was now his property.

1.87 Some say Apollo doused the fire when Cyrus' men couldn't. Cyrus then asked Croesus why he'd invaded: Croesus blamed the Delphic oracle.

1.86 Still, Cyrus meant to burn him. Facing death, Croesus finally got Solon's wisdom & told Cyrus, who changed his mind re. the immolation.

1.85 Croesus was almost killed, but he was saved by his previously dumb son's 1st words--spoken, as an oracle had warned, on a luckless day.

1.84 Sardis was taken after one of Cyrus' soldiers discovered where the city's seemingly impregnable citadel could be climbed.

1.83 The Spartans prepared to help Croesus, but before they could launch their ships word came that Sardis had fallen & Croesus was captive.

1.82 Among those to whom Croesus sent were the Spartans, who had recently fought Argos over the territory of Thyreae. (The Spartans won.)

1.81 Croesus sent messengers to ask his allies to send help at once, since Sardis was under siege.

1.80 Cyrus ordered that Croesus be spared & per Harpagus' advice used camels to stymie Lydian horse. The Persians won & laid siege to city.

1.79 Cyrus, expecting Croesus to disband his army, crossed the Halys & marched on Sardis. Croesus led his Lydian army out, sans mercenaries.

1.78 But lo! Snakes filled the city & were eaten by horses--a sign, diviners warned (too late), signifying an impending invasion by aliens.

1.77 The next day Croesus withdrew intending to winter in Sardis, collect a larger army & re-invade in spring. He sent his mercenaries away.

1.76 Croesus invaded Cappadocia, laying it waste and enslaving people. Cyrus confronted him and they fought a fierce but indecisive battle.

1.75 The Medean groom was Astyages, whom Cyrus had now subjugated. Croesus' army crossed the Halys, either on bridges or by diverting river.

1.74 The Scythians fled to Lydia, whose king wouldn't give them up. Lydia & Medea went to war but finally sealed a peace w/marital alliance.

1.73 Croesus invaded Persia to avenge bro-in-law Astyages. A's marriage to C's sis came about after some Scythians fed A's dad human stew.

1.72 The Halys River formed the boundary between Lydia (Croesus' kingdom) and Persia. Cappadocia lay on the Persian side of the river.

1.71 Because of the oracle he'd received, Croesus thought he'd destroy Persia. He wasn't persuaded when an advisor urged him not to attack.

1.70 The Spartans sent a mixing bowl to Croesus as a gift, but it was either stolen by Samians en route or sold in Samos by the couriers.

1.69 Having made his inquiries re. Athens and Sparta, Croesus sent messengers to the latter to request an alliance. The Spartans agreed.

1.68 Lichas correctly interpreted a cryptic prophecy re. the location of the bones & brought them to Sparta. Sparta subsequently beat Tegea.

1.67 They did not defeat Tegea until Lichas, a Spartan, found the bones of Orestes: an oracle said bringing them home would bring victory.

1.66 Sparta had 1st attacked Tegea after an oracle suggested they would enslave it. But they'd misinterpreted the prophecy & were defeated.

1.65 Croesus learned that Sparta had 1. instituted good laws/new military system under the direction of Lycurgus & 2. defeated the Tegeans.

1.64 Thus Pisistratus gained power in Athens for the 3rd time & established himself securely. Megacles' clan, the Alcmaeonidae, fled Athens.

1.63 Pisistratus' men routed the Athenians. Lest those in flight regroup, his sons pursued on horseback & told them to go to their homes.

1.62 Ten years later Pisistratus and his sons returned. They seized Marathon, gathered supporters, and marched on Athens.

1.61 Pisistratus didn't want kids by his new wife, so he didn't have conventional sex w/her. Megacles found out & P. left Athens a 2nd time.

1.60 He was soon driven out, but he returned to power after allying with rival faction leader Megacles, whose daughter he agreed to marry.

1.59 Croesus learned that Pisistratus was then tyrant in Athens. He had 1st come to power during a period of factional dispute.

1.58 The Hellenes, however--who settled in the Peloponnese--always spoke Greek.)

1.57 (I believe the Pelasgians, who originally inhabited Attica, spoke a non-Greek lang. & began speaking Greek when they became Hellenes.

1.56 Again Croesus was pleased, as a mule king seemed unlikely. He decided next to seek alliance w/the strongest Greeks, Sparta & Athens.

1.55 Croesus posed a 3rd question to the god: wd his monarchy last long? The response: when a mule becomes king of the Medes, RUN AWAY!

1.54 The prophecy pleased Croesus: he assumed it meant he’d defeat Persia. He sent gifts to Delphi & was rewarded in turn w/various perks.

1.53 Croesus asked the oracles if he shd attack Persia & procure allies. Answer: IF YOU ATTACK YOU'LL DESTROY A MIGHTY EMPIRE. Allies? Yes.

1.52 Croesus also sent dedications to Amphiaraus--a shield & spear made of solid gold. In my day these were in the Theban temple of Apollo.

1.51 He sent that off and more besides--mixing bowls, silver jars, necklaces, and a gold statue of his baker.

1.50 By way of propitiating the god, Croesus sacrificed 1000s of animals & got a bunch of stuff (gold ingots, etc.) ready to send to Delphi.

1.49 Croesus also thought the response from the oracle at Amphiaraus was true, but I cannot say what it was: there is no record of it.

1.48 Croesus' men returned with the various responses & he was pleased with the one from Delphi: he had indeed been stewing tortoise & lamb.

1.47 Croesus sent messengers to ask the oracles what he was doing at a particular time. The god at Delphi said he was making a stew.

1.46 2 yrs on Cyrus' defeat of Astyages of Medea alarmed Croesus. He decided to test the oracles & ask some of them if he shd attack Persia.

1.45 Yet he was moved to pity when Adrastus asked to be killed. C. refused, but A., when all was quiet, cut his throat over the son's grave.

1.44 Mad with grief, Croesus called upon Zeus to witness what he'd suffered from Adrastus, whom he had purified and welcomed into his home.

1.43 They found the boar & threw their spears & Adrastus missed but hit Atys, killing him as per the prophecy. Someone ran to tell Croesus.

1.42 Though hesitant bc he felt himself tainted, Adrastus agreed: as far as he was concerned Atys would return home from the hunt unscathed.

1.41 But since the hunting party might be set upon by robbers, Croesus asked Adrastus, whom he had purified, to go along as Atys’ guardian.

1.40 Good point! Croesus said. I've changed my mind: you can go on the hunt.

1.39 Atys pointed out that boars don't carry spears. The boar hunt thus posed no danger to him, he said, and he should be allowed to go.

1.38 Croesus said he wanted to save Atys from dying by spearpoint as his dream prophesied. Atys was his only son: the deaf one didn't count.

1.37 Atys, worried he would seem cowardly, asked why he was barred from the hunt & from military actions. Let me go or explain! he demanded.

1.36 Mysians came to Croesus asking for help against a great boar that was ravaging their land. He agreed to send men out--but not Atys.

1.35 Adrastus of Phrygia came seeking purification for accidentally killing his bro. Croesus purified him and welcomed Adrastus to his home.

1.34 Later Croesus dreamt a spear wd kill his son Atys (1 of 2; the other was deaf/dumb). He thus kept Atys home & put all the weapons away.

1.33 Croesus sent Solon away, thinking him stupid for disregarding the King's riches and for requiring that one always look to the end.

1.32 Solon explained to his angry host: trouble may fall in any of the c. 26,250 days of one's life. CALL NO MAN BLESSED UNTIL HE IS DEAD.

1.31 2nd happiest? Not Croesus, but Cleobis and Biton, who died after yoking themselves to a wagon and conveying their mother to a temple.

1.30 Croesus asked Solon whom he considered the happiest man. Solon's reply: not Croesus, but the Athenian Tellus, who'd lived & died well.

1.29 Greek men of learning flocked to Sardis, among them Solon of Athens, who was traveling abroad for 10 yrs after enacting laws in Athens.

1.28 Finally Croesus subdued almost all of those living west of the Halys River. Lydia's capital Sardis was now at the height of its power.

1.27 Having subdued the Greeks in Asia, Croesus wanted to attack the islanders next. Dissuaded by wise counsel, he allied with them instead.

1.26 Alyattes was succeeded by his 35-year-old son Croesus. He attacked Ephesus 1st, then other Greek cities in Aeolia & Ionia (Asia Minor).

1.25 After recovering from his illness, Alyattes dedicated a mixing bowl to the god at Delphi. He died after ruling Lydia for 57 years.

1.24 Arion set sail for Corinth from Italy but the sailors wanted to rob/kill him. Instead he sang & jumped overboard & a dolphin saved him.

1.23 Periander was tyrant of Corinth when the great lyre player Arion was carried on the back of a dolphin to Taenarum.

1.22 Thrasybulus' trick worked: Alyattes was told that food was plentiful in Miletus. He thus gave up the fight and allied with Thrasybulus.

1.21 Alyattes sent to Miletus re. a truce. Thrasybulus, forewarned by Periander, threw a party in the city as a show for Alyattes' herald.

1.20 I got that from the Delphians. The Milesians say Periander of Corinth told Thrasybulus, the tyrant of Miletus, about Alyattes' oracle.

1.19 In year 12 a temple caught fire when the Lydians burnt the crops. Alyattes got sick, and the Delphic oracle bid him rebuild the temple.

1.18 The Lydians waged war with Miletus in this way for eleven years.

1.17 Alyattes attacked Miletus annually when the crops ripened. He destroyed them but nothing else so the enemy would return and sow anew.

1.16 Ardys ruled for 49 years and was succeeded by his son Sadyattes, who ruled for 12. Sadyattes was succeeded by his son Alyattes.

1.15 Gyges ruled Lydia for 38 years and was succeeded by his son Ardys.

1.14 Gyges sent many dedicatory offerings to Delphi, both gold and silver. He was the second of the barbarians to do so after King Midas.

1.13 The Delphic oracle confirmed Gyges in the kingship & added that vengeance would be exacted from his descendants in the 5th generation.

1.12 That night he hid behind the same door, then killed Candaules in his sleep. Thus Gyges gained both the queen and the kingship of Lydia.

1.11 The next day she gave Gyges an ultimatum: kill the king and take his place or be killed himself. Unwilling again, he chose the former.

1.10 Gyges reluctantly obeyed. He hid, watched & left, but she saw him. At once she knew what Candaules had done & she contemplated revenge.

1.9 But Candaules insisted and told his plan: Gyges would hide behind the door and watch her undress before bed, then he'd slip out unseen.

1.8 Candaules fell in love w/his own wife & praised her beauty to his bodyguard Gyges, whom he bid view the queen naked. Gyges begged off.

1.7 The Lydian kingship passed from the Heraclidae to the Mermnadae, Croesus' family, as I'll explain. The last Heraclid king was Candaules.

1.6 Croesus of Lydia, who ruled all the peoples west of the Halys River, was the 1st barbarian to subject Greeks to the payment of tribute.

1.5 The Phoenicians say Io went willingly. *I'll* say who began it & I'll mention cities big & small, for I know GOOD FORTUNE IS INCONSTANT.

1.4 The Greeks overreacted to Helen's abduction and invaded Asia, then destroyed Troy. Thus began Persian enmity toward the Greeks.

1.3 A generation later, Alexander/Paris carried off Helen. The Greeks demanded her back but the Trojans refused, citing the Medea business.

1.2 Some Greeks then kidnapped Europa from Phoenicia & Medea from Colchis. They refused to return Medea when her father, the king, demanded.

1.1 Herodotus here! Writing so we don't forget stuff, esp. the Persian Wars. The Persians say the Phoenicians started it by kidnapping Io.