The Last King of Lydia Read Online Free Page B

I am at the end of a wasted life.’ He leaned back and looked out across the city.
‘Why so many questions, Croesus?’ he said. ‘I cannot believe you are so interested in the life of an old statesman like myself.’
    Croesus shrugged, taking up a handful of grapes and chewing on them thoughtfully. ‘I am trying to discover why you are such a miserable man, given the fame that you have earned for your
wisdom.’
    ‘Wisdom doesn’t guarantee happiness. Neither does fame, for that matter.’
    ‘You should try wealth. It works for me.’
    ‘Ah. Now I sense we are coming to something important. Perhaps it is my unhappiness that disappoints you, more than anything else.’
    ‘Yes, you are right.’ Croesus paused. ‘I do have a question for you.’
    ‘Ask, Croesus.’
    ‘Who is the happiest person that you have ever met?’
    Solon thought for a long time.
    ‘Tellus,’ he said at last, tearing off a piece of bread and dipping it into olive oil.
    ‘Tellus,’ Croesus said carefully, sounding out the name.
    ‘Yes.’
    Croesus looked at Solon, but the Athenian did not elaborate. ‘I haven’t heard of him,’ Croesus said shortly. ‘Who was he?’
    ‘Tellus? He was an Athenian.’
    ‘A wealthy man?’
    ‘Oh no, but he was wealthy enough to keep himself and his family.’ Solon cleared his throat then spoke again. ‘There are many reasons to call him happy. He had many children,
and he lived long enough to see his children’s children grow. He was fortunate enough to live in a time when Athens was prosperous and justly governed. He fought in battle against the city of
Eleusis, and it was by his efforts that the enemy was routed. He was wounded, and died a few hours later, but he died knowing that he had saved the city he loved. The people of Athens gave him a
great funeral at the place where he fell. He was the happiest person that I have known.’
    ‘Well then, who is the second happiest person you have known?’
    ‘May I name two men jointly in answer to that?’
    ‘Certainly.’
    ‘Then I would name a pair of Argive brothers, Cleobis and Biton.’
    ‘Go on,’ said the king.
    ‘They were two farmers who had more than enough to live on, and they were considered the strongest men in their village. They honoured the Gods. During the festival of Hera, their oxen
were late returning from the fields, and their mother was too ill to walk into town by herself. So these two men yoked themselves to a cart and pulled her six
stades
to the temple. They
were the toast of the festival, the entire village praising their filial love and their strength, and their mother prayed to Hera that her sons be granted the ultimate blessing. And they were. The
two men went to sleep that night and never woke again.’
    ‘You call this happiness?’
    ‘They were happy when they died, were they not? What more can we hope for? Besides, their names will not be forgotten. The townspeople made statues in their honour and sent them to Delphi.
You can still see them there, if you ever visit the temple.’
    ‘In all this talk of happy men,’ Croesus said, speaking slowly, ‘there is one name that you have, perhaps, forgotten to mention.’
    ‘Whose name is that?’
    ‘Mine.’
    Solon looked at Croesus. Then he laughed.
    ‘Come, you toy with me,’ Croesus said. ‘You promised that you were done with mockery.’
    ‘I don’t mean to mock you.’
    ‘Do you hold my happiness in such contempt that you would place me behind these farmers?’ Croesus asked. ‘Look around you. My empire is the greatest in the world. No one has
ever possessed such wealth as I do. I have a noble son to carry on my name. My people love me. I am happy. What do I lack that would put me above these men?’
    ‘Death, Croesus. Perhaps if you were to die at this moment, I might be able to grant you the title that you seek.’
    ‘Explain yourself.’
    ‘Croesus, I don’t judge anyone happy until they are dead, and I know how they met their end.