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Besides the offerings which have been already mentioned, there are
many others in various parts of Greece presented by Croesus; as at
Thebes in Boeotia, where there is a golden tripod, dedicated by him
to Ismenian Apollo; at Ephesus, where the golden heifers, and most
of the columns are his gift; and at Delphi, in the temple of
Pronaia, where there is a huge shield in gold, which he gave. All
these offerings were still in existence in my day; many others have
perished: among them those which he dedicated at Branchidae in
Milesia, equal in weight, as I am informed, and in all respects
like to those at Delphi. The Delphian presents, and those sent to
Amphiaraus, came from his own private property, being the
first-fruits of the fortune which he inherited from his father; his
other offerings came from the riches of an enemy, who, before he
mounted the throne, headed a party against him, with the view of
obtaining the crown of Lydia for Pantaleon. This Pantaleon was a
son of Alyattes, but by a different mother from Croesus; for the
mother of Croesus was a Carian woman, but the mother of Pantaleon an
Ionian. When, by the appointment of his father, Croesus obtained
the kingly dignity, he seized the man who had plotted against him, and
broke him upon the wheel. His property, which he had previously
devoted to the service of the gods, Croesus applied in the way
mentioned above. This is all I shall say about his offerings.
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