LESSON 48 CRŒSUS AND SOLON

CRŒSUS AND SOLON

T OLSTOY (1828-1910) was a great Russian novelist and reformer.

In olden times there reigned over a certain country a great and wealthy king called Crœsus. One day there chanced to visit Crœsus a Greek philosopher [1] named Solon, famed as a wise man and just.

Seated upon his throne, and robed in his most gorgeous [2] apparel [3] , Crœsus asked of Solon: "Have you ever seen aught [4] more splendid than this?"

Of a surety have I, replied Solon. "Peacocks and pheasants glitter with colours so diverse [5] and so brilliant that no art can compare with them."

Then Crœsus exhibited the whole of his riches before Solon's eyes, and boasted of the number of foes he had slain, and the number of territories he had conquered. Then he said, "You have lived long in the world, and have visited many countries. Tell me whom you consider to be the happiest man living?"

The happiest man living I consider to be a certain poor man who lives in Athens, replied Solon.

Why do you say that? asked Crœsus.

Because, replied Solon, "the man of whom I speak has worked hard all his life, has been content with little, has reared fine children, has served his city honourably, and has achieved a noble reputation [6] ."

When Crœsus heard this he exclaimed, "And do you reckon that I am not fit to be compared with the man of whom you speak?"

To which Solon replied, "Often it befalls that a poor man is happier than a rich man. Call no man happy until he is dead."

The king dismissed Solon, for he was not pleased at his words.

A fig for melancholy [7] ! he thought. "While a man lives he should live for pleasure." So he forgot about Solon entirely.

Not long afterwards, one of the king's sons died. Next, it was told to Crœsus that the Emperor Cyrus was coming to make war upon him.

So Crœsus went out against Cyrus with a great army; but the enemy won the battle, shattered the forces of Crœsus, and penetrated [8] to the capital.

Then the foreign soldiers began to sack [9] and fire the city. One soldier seized Crœsus himself, and was just about to stab him, when his son darted forward and cried aloud, "Do not touch him! That is Crœsus, the king!"

So the soldiers carried Crœsus away to the Emperor; but Cyrus was celebrating his victory at a banquet, and could not speak with the captive, so orders were sent out for Crœsus to be executed.

In the middle of the city square the soldiers built a great burning-pile, and upon the top of it they placed King Crœsus.

Crœsus gazed around him, remembered the words of the Greek philosopher, and, bursting into tears, could only say, "Ah, Solon, Solon!"

The soldiers were closing in about the pile when the Emperor Cyrus arrived to view the execution. As he did so, he caught these words uttered by Crœsus, but could not understand them. So he commanded Crœsus to be taken from the pile, and inquired of him what he had just said.

Crœsus answered, "I was but naming the name of a wise man— of one who told me a great truth—a truth that is of greater worth than all earthly riches, than all our kingly glory."

And Crœsus related to Cyrus his conversation with Solon. The Emperor bethought him that he too was but a man, that he too knew not what Fate might have in store for him. So in the end he had mercy upon Crœsus, and became his friend.

—From the Russian of Tolstoy

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[1] philosopher: Learned man; thinker.

[2] gorgeous: Showy; splendid.

[3] apparel: Clothes.

[4] aught: Anything.

[5] diverse: Different.

[6] reputation: Good name; public opinion of a man's character.

[7] melancholy: Gloom; depression.

[8] penetrated: Pierced; made a way.

[9] sack: Pillage; plunder.