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Meanwhile Croesus, taking the oracle in a wrong sense, led his
forces into Cappadocia, fully expecting to defeat Cyrus and destroy
the empire of the Persians. While he was still engaged in making
preparations for his attack, a Lydian named Sandanis, who had always
been looked upon as a wise man, but who after this obtained a very
great name indeed among his countrymen, came forward and counselled the
king in these words:
"Thou art about, oh! king, to make war against men who wear
leathern trousers, and have all their other garments of leather; who
feed not on what they like, but on what they can get from a soil that
is sterile and unkindly; who do not indulge in wine, but drink water;
who possess no figs nor anything else that is good to eat. If, then,
thou conquerest them, what canst thou get from them, seeing that they
have nothing at all? But if they conquer thee, consider how much that
is precious thou wilt lose: if they once get a taste of our pleasant
things, they will keep such hold of them that we shall never be able to
make them loose their grasp. For my part, I am thankful to the gods
that they have not put it into the hearts of the Persians to invade
Lydia."
Croesus was not persuaded by this speech, though it was true enough;
for before the conquest of Lydia, the Persians possessed none of the
luxuries or delights of life.
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