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Gyges was afterwards confirmed in the possession of the throne by an
answer of the Delphic oracle. Enraged at the murder of their king,
the people flew to arms, but after a while the partisans of Gyges came
to terms with them, and it was agreed that if the Delphic oracle
declared him king of the Lydians, he should reign; if otherwise, he
should yield the throne to the Heraclides. As the oracle was given in
his favour he became king. The Pythoness, however, added that, in
the fifth generation from Gyges, vengeance should come for the
Heraclides; a prophecy of which neither the Lydians nor their princes
took any account till it was fulfilled. Such was the way in which the
Mermnadae deposed the Heraclides, and themselves obtained the sovereignty.
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