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Now it happened that this Candaules was in love with his own wife;
and not only so, but thought her the fairest woman in the whole world.
This fancy had strange consequences. There was in his bodyguard a man
whom he specially favoured, Gyges, the son of Dascylus. All
affairs of greatest moment were entrusted by Candaules to this person,
and to him he was wont to extol the surpassing beauty of his wife. So
matters went on for a while. At length, one day, Candaules, who
was fated to end ill, thus addressed his follower: "I see thou dost
not credit what I tell thee of my lady's loveliness; but come now,
since men's ears are less credulous than their eyes, contrive some
means whereby thou mayst behold her naked." At this the other loudly
exclaimed, saying, "What most unwise speech is this, master, which
thou hast uttered? Wouldst thou have me behold my mistress when she is
naked? Bethink thee that a woman, with her clothes, puts off her
bashfulness. Our fathers, in time past, distinguished right and
wrong plainly enough, and it is our wisdom to submit to be taught by
them. There is an old saying, 'Let each look on his own.' I hold
thy wife for the fairest of all womankind. Only, I beseech thee,
ask me not to do wickedly."
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