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When Gyges was established on the throne, he sent no small presents
to Delphi, as his many silver offerings at the Delphic shrine
testify. Besides this silver he gave a vast number of vessels of
gold, among which the most worthy of mention are the goblets, six in
number, and weighing altogether thirty talents, which stand in the
Corinthian treasury, dedicated by him. I call it the Corinthian
treasury, though in strictness of speech it is the treasury not of the
whole Corinthian people, but of Cypselus, son of Eetion.
Excepting Midas, son of Gordias, king of Phrygia, Gyges was the
first of the barbarians whom we know to have sent offerings to Delphi.
Midas dedicated the royal throne whereon he was accustomed to sit and
administer justice, an object well worth looking at. It lies in the
same place as the goblets presented by Gyges. The Delphians call the
whole of the silver and the gold which Gyges dedicated, after the name
of the donor, Gygian.
As soon as Gyges was king he made an in-road on Miletus and
Smyrna, and took the city of Colophon. Afterwards, however,
though he reigned eight and thirty years, he did not perform a single
noble exploit. I shall therefore make no further mention of him, but
pass on to his son and successor in the kingdom, Ardys.
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