Charon, or the Inspectors (9-12)

Tell me,

Who is the other man yonder, the haughty one?

That is Cyrus, Charon, the son of Cambyses, who has already transferred to the Persians the empire that once belonged to the Medes. Moreover, he recently conquered the Assyrians and brought Babylon to terms, and now he appears to be meditating a campaign against Lydia, with the idea of overthrowing Croesus and ruling the world.

And Croesus, where is he?

Look over there towards the great acropolis with the triple wall. That is Sardis, and now you see Croesus himself sitting on a golden throne, talking with Solon of Athens. Would you like to listen to what they are saying?[*]

By all means.

My friend from Athens, as you have seen my riches, my treasuries, all the bullion that I have and the rest of my splendor, tell me whom do you consider the most fortunate man in the world?

What will Solon say to that?

Never fear; nothing ignoble, Charon.

Fortunate men are few, Croesus, but I consider that of all the men I know, the most fortunate are Cleobis and Biton, the sons of the priestess at Argos, who died together the other day when they had harnessed themselves and drawn their mother to the temple on the wagon.[*]

Very well, let them have the first rank in good fortune. But who would be the second?:

Tellus of Athens, who lived happily and died for his country.

But what about me, knave? Don’t you think I am fortunate?

I do not know, Croesus, and shall not until you come to the close of your life. Death is a sure test in such matters, that and a fortunate life right up to the end.

Thank you kindly, Solon, for not forgetting us,[*] but demanding the decision of such matters to be made right at the ferry.

But who are those men whom Croesus is sending out, and what are they carrying on their shoulders?[*]

He is making an offering of golden ingots to Apollo at Delphi to pay for the prophecies which will bring him to grief a little later on. The man is monstrously daft on divination.

Is that gold, the bright substance that shines, the pale yellow substance with a cast of red? This is the first time that I have seen it, though I am always hearing of it.

That is it, Charon, the name that they sing of and fight for.

Really I don’t see what good there is about it, except perhaps for one thing, that its bearers find it heavy.

You do not know how many wars there have been on account of it, how many plots, perjuries, murders, imprisonments, trading ventures, and enslavements.

On account of this substance, not much different from bronze? I know bronze, for, as you are aware, I collect an obol from everyone who makes the downward journey.

Yes, but bronze is plentiful, so that they do not prize it very highly, while this is dug up by the miners at a great depth in small quantities. It comes from the earth, however, like lead and the rest of the metals.

Men are terribly stupid, by what you say, since they have such a passion for a yellow, heavy substance.

Well, at any rate Solon yonder does not seem to love it, Charon, as you see, for he is laughing at Croesus and his barbarian boastfulness, and to my mind he wants to ask him a question. Let us listen, then.

Tell me, Croesus, do you really think that Apollo has any need of these ingots?

Good Heavens, yes! He has nothing to match them among the votive offerings at Delphi.

Then you expect to make the god happy if he adds ingots of gold to the rest of his possessions?

Why not?

They are very poor in Heaven from what you say, since they have to send and get gold from Lydia if they want it.

Why, where else can there be as much gold as there is in our country?

Tell me, is iron produced in Lydia?

Not to any great extent.

Then you are poor in the better metal.

In what way is iron better than gold?

If you will answer my questions without getting angry, you will find out.

Ask them, Solon.

Who is the better man, the one who saves a life or the one who is saved by him?

The one who saves a life of course.

Then if Cyrus attacks the Lydians, as rumour has it that he will, shall you get swords of gold made for your army, or will iron be necessary in that case?

Iron, certainly.

Yes, and if you should not provide iron, your gold would go off to Persia in captivity.

Don’t speak of such a thing, man!

I pray it may not turn out that way; but you clearly admit that iron is better than gold.

Then would you have me offer ingots of iron to the god and call the gold back again?

He will have no need of iron either, not he! Whether you offer bronze or gold, your offering will be a boon and a blessing to ethers than he—to the Phocians or the Boeotians or the Delphians themselves, or else to some tyrant or freebooter; but the god takes little interest in your gold-work.

You are always at war with my wealth and begrudge me it.