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Hereupon Croesus the Lydian thought it right to admonish Cambyses,
which he did in these words following: "Oh! king, allow not thyself
to give way entirely to thy youth, and the heat of thy temper, but
check and control thyself. It is well to look to consequences, and in
forethought is true wisdom. Thou layest hold of men, who are thy
fellow-citizens, and, without cause of complaint, slayest them -
thou even puttest children to death - bethink thee now, if thou shalt
often do things like these, will not the Persians rise in revolt
against thee? It is by thy father's wish that I offer thee advice;
he charged me strictly to give thee such counsel as I might see to be
most for thy good." In thus advising Cambyses, Croesus meant
nothing but what was friendly. But Cambyses answered him, "Dost
thou presume to offer me advice? Right well thou ruledst thy own
country when thou wert a king, and right sage advice thou gavest my
father Cyrus, bidding him cross the Araxes and fight the Massagetae
in their own land, when they were willing to have passed over into
ours. By thy misdirection of thine own affairs thou broughtest ruin
upon thyself, and by thy bad counsel, which he followed, thou
broughtest ruin upon Cyrus, my father. But thou shalt not escape
punishment now, for I have long been seeking to find some occasion
against thee." As he thus spoke, Cambyses took up his bow to shoot
at Croesus; but Croesus ran hastily out, and escaped. So when
Cambyses found that he could not kill him with his bow, he bade his
servants seize him, and put him to death. The servants, however,
who knew their master's humour, thought it best to hide Croesus;
that so, if Cambyses relented, and asked for him, they might bring
him out, and get a reward for having saved his life - if, on the
other hand, he did not relent, or regret the loss, they might then
despatch him. Not long afterwards, Cambyses did in fact regret the
loss of Croesus, and the servants, perceiving it, let him know that
he was still alive. "I am glad," said he, "that Croesus lives,
but as for you who saved him, ye shall not escape my vengeance, but
shall all of you be put to death." And he did even as he had said.
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