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.In Herodotus Tellus gets the first place.

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,Himself and Pluto. but demanding the decision of such matters to be made right at the ferry.

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.

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?