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extinguished the flames, when all human efforts had proved vain. But all this must be looked upon as fabulous.* Cyrus was a merciful prince, and he does not appear to have acted contrary to this character on this occasion. How kindly disposed he was, indeed, toward the captive, with whom he was connected by affinity, appears from Herodotus himself. He relates, that before the battle, Cyrus issued orders to put to death all who should resist, "Croesus himself excepted," who, whatever opposition he might make, was to be taken alive. Immediately after, he says, that Cyrus promised to grant all his wishes; that he treated him with the utmost kindness and familiarity; consulted him, and kept him constantly about his person; and that before his own death, he recommended Croesus to the protection of Cambyses, who succeeded him in his empire.

Xenophon relates an interesting conversation between the conqueror and the captive, immediately after he was taken, which seems to exhibit the true nature of the treatment which Cræsus received at the hands of Cyrus. Alluding to the sage response of the oracle he had consulted, about two years after the death of his favourite son, Atys, which reads thus:

"Know thyself, Croesus, and thou shalt happily pass through life,"

Croesus exclaimed, "For my ignorance, then, of myself, and of you, am I now justly punished. Now, indeed, at length, I know myself! But do you think Apollo told truth? that I shall be happy in knowing myself. I ask you this question, because you seem to me best qualified to form a judgment on this subject in the present posture of affairs, for you are able to effect it." Cyrus answered, "Give me rather your advice on this subject, Croesus, for when I consider your former happiness, I really pity you;

* The historian may have related this from his know ledge of the ancient usages; for that such sacrifices were made, we gather from the poets: thus Achilles, in the Iliad, sacrifices twelve Trojan youths at the funeral pile of Patroclus:

"Then last of all, and horrible to tell

Again

Sad sacrifice, twelve Trojan captives fell."

"And twelve sad victims of the Trojan line, Sacred to vengeance, instant shall expire, Their lives effus'd around, thy funeral pyre."

and I now restore to you your wife and your daughters, for I hear you have some, and your friends, and your attendants, and your table to be kept as usually; but I prohibit you from wars and battles."

"In truth," rejoined Croesus, "you need not desire to give any further answer about promoting my happiness; for if you only do what you say, I tell you that I shall continue to enjoy in future what others counted the happiest life, and in which I concur with them."

"Who, then," said Cyrus, "hold this the happiest life?"

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My wife," said he, "Cyrus; for she shared alike with me all my goods, luxuries, and delights, while she was freed from the cares of procuring them, and from war and battle. Thus, you are now disposed to treat me, as I treated her whom I loved best in the world. So that I consider myself as owing Apollo some further offerings, expressive of my gratitude."

When Cyrus heard this, he was surprised at his equanimity, and for the future took him along with himself wherever he went; either thinking that Croesus might be of some use to him, or judging this the safer procedure.

Thus ended the career of Croesus. It reads to us a lesson of the vanity of riches, and the mutability of the grandeur of this world. In one hour, his immense wealth passed into the hands of another, and his grandeur was rudely plucked from his brow. Seek not, therefore, reader, after these bubbles; for if they should fall into thy possession, they will burst, if not before, at the touch of death. Rather let thy thoughts be carried backward in reflection upon thy past life, and forward to a better and a more enduring world than this in which we live, and the fashion of which passeth away, and that swiftly.

""Tis greatly wise to talk with our past hours;
And ask them what report they bore to heaven;
And how they might have borne more welcome news.
Their answers form what men experience call:
If Wisdom's friend, her best; if not, worst foe.
O reconcile them! kind experience cries,
'There's nothing here, but what as nothing weighs;
The more our joy, the more we know it vain;
And by success are tutor❜d to despair.'
Nor is it only thus, but must be so:
Who knows not this, though grey, is still a child.
Loose, then, from earth the grasp of fond desire,
Weigh anchor, and some happier clime explore."

YOUNG.

END OF HISTORY OF LYDIANS.

SHMOLEA

OXFORD)

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