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Cyrus was beyond measure pleased with this advice, so excellent did it
seem to him. He praised Croesus highly, and gave orders to his
bodyguard to do as he had suggested. Then, turning to Croesus, he
said, "Oh! Croesus, I see that thou are resolved both in speech
and act to show thyself a virtuous prince: ask me, therefore,
whatever thou wilt as a gift at this moment." Croesus replied,
"Oh! my lord, if thou wilt suffer me to send these fetters to the
god of the Greeks, whom I once honoured above all other gods, and
ask him if it is his wont to deceive his benefactors - that will be the
highest favour thou canst confer on me." Cyrus upon this inquired
what charge he had to make against the god. Then Croesus gave him a
full account of all his projects, and of the answers of the oracle,
and of the offerings which he had sent, on which he dwelt especially,
and told him how it was the encouragement given him by the oracle which
had led him to make war upon Persia. All this he related, and at the
end again besought permission to reproach the god with his behaviour.
Cyrus answered with a laugh, "This I readily grant thee, and
whatever else thou shalt at any time ask at my hands." Croesus,
finding his request allowed, sent certain Lydians to Delphi,
enjoining them to lay his fetters upon the threshold of the temple, and
ask the god, "If he were not ashamed of having encouraged him, as
the destined destroyer of the empire of Cyrus, to begin a war with
Persia, of which such were the first-fruits?" As they said this
they were to point to the fetters - and further they were to inquire,
"If it was the wont of the Greek gods to be ungrateful?"
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