bodies, which are said to be made of crystal in the following
manner:—when they have dried the corpse, whether it be after the
Egyptian fashion or in some other way, they cover it over completely
with plaster 21 and then adorn it with painting, making the figure as
far as possible like the living man. After this they put about it a
block of crystal hollowed out; for this they dig up in great quantity
and it is very easy to work: and the dead body being in the middle of
the block is visible through it, but produces no unpleasant smell nor
any other effect which is unseemly, and it has all its parts visible
like the dead body itself. For a year then they who are most nearly
related to the man keep the block in their house, giving to the dead man
the first share of everything and offering to him sacrifices: and after
this period they carry it out and set it up round about the city.
25. After they had seen all, the spies departed to go back; and when
they reported these things, forthwith Cambyses was enraged and proceeded
to march his army against the Ethiopians, not having ordered any
provision of food nor considered with himself that he was intending to
march an army to the furthest extremities of the earth; but as one who
is mad and not in his right senses, when he heard the report of the
Ichthyophagoi he began the march, ordering those of the Hellenes who
were present to remain behind in Egypt, and taking with him his whole
land force: and when in the course of his march he had arrived at
Thebes, he divided off about fifty thousand of his army, and these he
enjoined to make slaves of the Ammonians and to set fire to the seat of
the Oracle of Zeus, but he himself with the remainder of his army went
on against the Ethiopians. But before the army had passed over the
fifth part of the way, all that they had of provisions came to an end
completely; and then after the provisions the beasts of burden also were
eaten up and came to an end. Now if Cambyses when he perceived this had
changed his plan and led his army back, he would have been a wise man
in spite of 22 his first mistake; as it was, however, he paid no regard,
but went on forward without stopping. The soldiers accordingly, so long
as they were able to get anything from the ground, prolonged their lives
by eating grass; but when they came to the sand, some did a fearful
deed, that is to say, out of each company of ten they selected by lot
one of themselves and devoured him: and Cambyses, when he heard it,
being alarmed by this eating of one another gave up the expedition
against the Ethiopians and set forth to go back again; and he arrived
at Thebes having suffered loss of a great number of his army. Then from
Thebes he came down to Memphis and allowed the Hellenes to sail away
home.
26. Thus fared the expedition against the Ethiopians: and those of the
Persians who had been sent to march against the Ammonians set forth
from Thebes and went on their way with guides; and it is known that they
arrived at the city of Oasis, which is inhabited by Samians said to
be of the Aischrionian tribe, and is distant seven days' journey from
Thebes over sandy desert: now this place is called in the speech of the
Hellenes the "Isle of the Blessed." It is said that the army reached
this place, but from that point onwards, except the Ammonians themselves
and those who have heard the account from them, no man is able to say
anything about them; for they neither reached the Ammonians nor
returned back. This however is added to the story by the Ammonians
themselves:—they say that as the army was going from this Oasis through
the sandy desert to attack them, and had got to a point about mid-way
between them and the Oasis, while they were taking their morning meal
a violent South Wind blew upon them, and bearing with it heaps of the
desert sand it buried them under it, and so they disappeared and were
seen no more. Thus the Ammonians say that it came to pass with regard to
this army.
27. When Cambyses arrived at Memphis, Apis appeared to the Egyptians,
whom the Hellenes call Epaphos: and when he had appeared, forthwith the
Egyptians began to wear their fairest garments and to have festivities.
Cambyses accordingly seeing the Egyptians doing thus, and supposing that
they were certainly acting so by way of rejoicing because he had fared
ill, called for the officers who had charge of Memphis; and when they
had come into his presence, he asked them why when he was at Memphis on
the former occasion, the Egyptians were doing nothing of this kind, but
only now, when he came there after losing a large part of his army.
They said that a god had appeared to them, who was wont to appear at
intervals of long time, and that whenever he appeared, then all the
Egyptians rejoiced and kept festival. Hearing this Cambyses said that
they were lying, and as liars he condemned them to death.
28. Having put these to death, next he called the priests into his
presence; and when the priests answered him after the same manner, he
said that it should not be without his knowledge if a tame god had come
to the Egyptians; and having so said he bade the priests bring Apis away
into his presence: so they went to bring him. Now this Apis-Epaphos is a
calf born of a cow who after this is not permitted to conceive any other
offspring; and the Egyptians say that a flash of light comes down from
heaven upon this cow, and of this she produces Apis. This calf which is
called Apis is black and has the following signs, namely a white square
23 upon the forehead, and on the back the likeness of an eagle, and in
the tail the hairs are double, and on 24 the tongue there is a mark like
a beetle.
29. When the priests had brought Apis, Cambyses being somewhat affected
with madness drew his dagger, and aiming at the belly of Apis, struck
his thigh: then he laughed and said to the priests: "O ye wretched
creatures, are gods born such as this, with blood and flesh, and
sensible of the stroke of iron weapons? Worthy indeed of Egyptians
is such a god as this. Ye however at least shall not escape without
punishment for making a mock of me." Having thus spoken he ordered those
whose duty it was to do such things, to scourge the priests without
mercy, and to put to death any one of the other Egyptians whom they
should find keeping the festival. Thus the festival of the Egyptians had
been brought to an end, and the priests were being chastised, and Apis
wounded by the stroke in his thigh lay dying in the temple.
30. Him, when he had brought his life to an end by reason of the wound,
the priests buried without the knowledge of Cambyses: but Cambyses, as
the Egyptians say, immediately after this evil deed became absolutely
mad, not having been really in his right senses even before that time:
and the first of his evil deeds was that he put to death his brother
Smerdis, who was of the same father and the same mother as himself. This
brother he had sent away from Egypt to Persia in envy, because alone
of all the Persians he had been able to draw the bow which the
Ichthyophagoi brought from the Ethiopian king, to an extent of about two
finger-breadths; while of the other Persians not one had proved able
to do this. Then when Smerdis had gone away to Persia, Cambyses saw a
vision in his sleep of this kind:—it seemed to him that a messenger came
from Persia and reported that Smerdis sitting upon the royal throne had
touched the heaven with his head. Fearing therefore with regard to
this lest his brother might slay him and reign in his stead, he sent
Prexaspes to Persia, the man whom of all the Persians he trusted most,
with command to slay him. He accordingly went up to Susa and slew
Smerdis; and some say that he took him out of the chase and so slew him,
others that he brought him to the Erythraian Sea and drowned him.
31. This they say was the first beginning of the evil deeds of Cambyses;
and next after this he put to death his sister, who had accompanied
him to Egypt, to whom also he was married, she being his sister by both
parents. Now he took her to wife in the following manner (for
before this the Persians had not been wont at all to marry their
sisters):—Cambyses fell in love with one of his sisters, and desired to
take her to wife; so since he had it in mind to do that which was not
customary, he called the Royal Judges and asked them whether there
existed any law which permitted him who desired it to marry his sister.
Now the Royal Judges are men chosen out from among the Persians, and
hold their office until they die or until some injustice is found in
them, so long and no longer. These pronounce decisions for the Persians
and are the expounders of the ordinances of their fathers, and all
matters are referred to them. So when Cambyses asked them, they gave him
an answer which was both upright and safe, saying that they found no law
which permitted a brother to marry his sister, but apart from that they
had found a law to the effect that the king of the Persians might do
whatsoever he desired. Thus on the one hand they did not tamper with
the law for fear of Cambyses, and at the same time, that they might not
perish themselves in maintaining the law, they found another law beside
that which was asked for, which was in favour of him who wished to marry
his sisters. So Cambyses at that time took to wife her with whom he was
in love, but after no long time he took another sister. Of these it was
the younger whom he put to death, she having accompanied him to Egypt.
32. About her death, as about the death of Smerdis, two different
stories are told. The Hellenes say that Cambyses had matched a lion's
cub in fight with a dog's whelp, and this wife of his was also a
spectator of it; and when the whelp was being overcome, another whelp,
its brother, broke its chain and came to help it; and having become two
instead of one, the whelps then got the better of the cub: and Cambyses
was pleased at the sight, but she sitting by him began to weep; and
Cambyses perceived it and asked wherefore she wept; and she said that
she had wept when she saw that the whelp had come to the assistance of
its brother, because she remembered Smerdis and perceived that there was
no one who would come to his 25 assistance. The Hellenes say that it was
for this saying that she was killed by Cambyses: but the Egyptians say
that as they were sitting round at table, the wife took a lettuce and
pulled off the leaves all round, and then asked her husband whether the
lettuce was fairer when thus plucked round or when covered with
leaves, and he said "when covered with leaves": she then spoke thus:
"Nevertheless thou didst once produce the likeness of this lettuce, when
thou didst strip bare the house of Cyrus." And he moved to anger leapt
upon her, being with child, and she miscarried and died.
33. These were the acts of madness done by Cambyses towards those of his
own family, whether the madness was produced really on account of Apis
or from some other cause, as many ills are wont to seize upon men; for
it is said moreover that Cambyses had from his birth a certain grievous
malady, that which is called by some the "sacred" disease: 26 and it
was certainly nothing strange that when the body was suffering from a
grievous malady, the mind should not be sound either.
34. The following also are acts of madness which he did to the other
Persians:—To Prexaspes, the man whom he honoured most and who used to
bear his messages 2601 (his son also was cup-bearer to Cambyses, and
this too was no small honour),—to him it is said that he spoke as
follows: "Prexaspes, what kind of a man do the Persians esteem me to be,
and what speech do they hold concerning me?" and he said: "Master, in
all other respects thou art greatly commended, but they say that thou
art overmuch given to love of wine." Thus he spoke concerning the
Persians; and upon that Cambyses was roused to anger, and answered thus:
"It appears then that the Persians say I am given to wine, and that
therefore I am beside myself and not in my right mind; and their former
speech then was not sincere." For before this time, it seems, when the
Persians and Croesus were sitting with him in council, Cambyses asked
what kind of a man they thought he was as compared with his father
Cyrus; 27 and they answered that he was better than his father, for
he not only possessed all that his father had possessed, but also in
addition to this had acquired Egypt and the Sea. Thus the Persians
spoke; but Croesus, who was present and was not satisfied with their
judgment, spoke thus to Cambyses: "To me, O son of Cyrus, thou dost not
appear to be equal to thy father, for not yet hast thou a son such as
he left behind him in you." Hearing this Cambyses was pleased, and
commended the judgment of Croesus.
35. So calling to mind this, he said in anger to Prexaspes: "Learn then
now for thyself whether the Persians speak truly, or whether when they
say this they are themselves out of their senses: for if I, shooting at
thy son there standing before the entrance of the chamber, hit him in
the very middle of the heart, the Persians will be proved to be speaking
falsely, but if I miss, then thou mayest say that the Persians are
speaking the truth and that I am not in my right mind." Having thus said
he drew his bow and hit the boy; and when the boy had fallen down, it
is said that he ordered them to cut open his body and examine the place
where he was hit; and as the arrow was found to be sticking in the
heart, he laughed and was delighted, and said to the father of the boy:
"Prexaspes, it has now been made evident, as thou seest, that I am not
mad, but that it is the Persians who are out of their senses; and now
tell me, whom of all men didst thou ever see before this time hit the
mark so well in shooting?" Then Prexaspes, seeing that the man was not
in his right senses and fearing for himself, said: "Master, I think that
not even God himself could have hit the mark so fairly." Thus he did at
that time: and at another time he condemned twelve of the Persians, men
equal to the best, on a charge of no moment, and buried them alive with
the head downwards.
36. When he was doing these things, Croesus the Lydian judged it right
to admonish him in the following words: "O king, do not thou indulge the
heat of thy youth and passion in all things, but retain and hold thyself
back: it is a good thing to be prudent, and forethought is wise. Thou
however are putting to death men who are of thine own people, condemning
them on charges of no moment, and thou art putting to death men's sons
also. If thou do many such things, beware lest the Persians make revolt
from thee. As for me, thy father Cyrus gave me charge, earnestly bidding
me to admonish thee, and suggest to thee that which I should find to
be good." Thus he counselled him, manifesting goodwill towards him; but
Cambyses answered: "Dost thou venture to counsel me, who excellently
well didst rule thine own country, and well didst counsel my father,
bidding him pass over the river Araxes and go against the Massagetai,
when they were willing to pass over into our land, and so didst utterly
ruin thyself by ill government of thine own land, and didst utterly
ruin Cyrus, who followed thy counsel. However thou shalt not escape
punishment now, for know that before this I had very long been desiring
to find some occasion against thee." Thus having said he took his bow
meaning to shoot him, but Croesus started up and ran out: and so since
he could not shoot him, he gave orders to his attendants to take and
slay him. The attendants however, knowing his moods, concealed Croesus,
with the intention that if Cambyses should change his mind and seek
to have Croesus again, they might produce him and receive gifts as the
price of saving his life; but if he did not change his mind nor feel
desire to have him back, then they might kill him. Not long afterwards
Cambyses did in fact desire to have Croesus again, and the attendants
perceiving this reported to him that he was still alive: and Cambyses
said that he rejoiced with Croesus that he was still alive, but that
they who had preserved him should not get off free, but he would put
them to death: and thus he did.
37. Many such acts of madness did he both to Persians and allies,
remaining at Memphis and opening ancient tombs and examining the dead
bodies. Likewise also he entered into the temple of Hephaistos and very
much derided the image of the god: for the image of Hephaistos very
nearly resembles the Phenician Pataicoi, which the Phenicians carry
about on the prows of their triremes; and for him who has not seen
these, I will indicate its nature,—it is the likeness of a dwarfish man.
He entered also into the temple of the Cabeiroi, into which it is not
lawful for any one to enter except the priest only, and the images there
he even set on fire, after much mockery of them. Now these also are like
the images of Hephaistos, and it is said that they are the children of
that god.
38. It is clear to me therefore by every kind of proof that Cambyses
was mad exceedingly; for otherwise he would not have attempted to deride
religious rites and customary observances. For if one should propose
to all men a choice, bidding them select the best customs from all the
customs that there are, each race of men, after examining them all,
would select those of his own people; thus all think that their own
customs are by far the best: and so it is not likely that any but a
madman would make a jest of such things. Now of the fact that all men
are thus wont to think about their customs, we may judge by many other
proofs and more specially by this which follows:—Dareios in the course
of his reign summoned those of the Hellenes who were present in his
land, and asked them for what price they would consent to eat up their
fathers when they died; and they answered that for no price would
they do so. After this Dareios summoned those Indians who are called
Callatians, who eat their parents, and asked them in presence of the
Hellenes, who understood what they said by help of an interpreter, for
what payment they would consent to consume with fire the bodies of
their fathers when they died; and they cried out aloud and bade him
keep silence from such words. Thus then these things are established by
usage, and I think that Pindar spoke rightly in his verse, when he said
that "of all things law is king." 28
39. Now while Cambyses was marching upon Egypt, the Lacedemonians also
had made an expedition against Samos and against Polycrates the son
of Aiakes, who had risen against the government and obtained rule over
Samos. At first he had divided the State into three parts and had given
a share to his brothers Pantagnotos and Syloson; but afterwards he put
to death one of these, and the younger, namely Syloson, he drove
out, and so obtained possession of the whole of Samos. Then, being in
possession, 29 he made a guest-friendship with Amasis the king of Egypt,
sending him gifts and receiving gifts in return from him. After this
straightway within a short period of time the power of Polycrates
increased rapidly, and there was much fame of it not only in Ionia,
but also over the rest of Hellas: for to whatever part he directed his
forces, everything went fortunately for him: and he had got for himself
a hundred fifty-oared galleys and a thousand archers, and he plundered
from all, making no distinction of any; for it was his wont to say that
he would win more gratitude from his friend by giving back to him that
which he had taken, than by not taking at all. 30 So he had conquered
many of the islands and also many cities of the continent, and besides
other things he gained the victory in a sea-fight over the Lesbians, as
they were coming to help the Milesians with their forces, and conquered
them: these men dug the whole trench round the wall of the city of Samos
working in chains.
40. Now Amasis, as may be supposed, did not fail to perceive that
Polycrates was very greatly fortunate, and 31 it was to him an object
of concern; and as much more good fortune yet continued to come to
Polycrates, he wrote upon a paper these words and sent them to Samos:
"Amasis to Polycrates thus saith:—It is a pleasant thing indeed to hear
that one who is a friend and guest is faring well; yet to me thy great
good fortune is not pleasing, since I know that the Divinity is jealous;
and I think that I desire, both for myself and for those about whom I
have care, that in some of our affairs we should be prosperous and in
others should fail, and thus go through life alternately faring 32 well
and ill, rather than that we should be prosperous in all things: for
never yet did I hear tell of any one who was prosperous in all things
and did not come to an utterly 33 evil end at the last. Now therefore
do thou follow my counsel and act as I shall say with respect to thy
prosperous fortunes. Take thought and consider, and that which thou
findest to be the most valued by thee, and for the loss of which thou
wilt most be vexed in thy soul, that take and cast away in such a manner
that it shall never again come to the sight of men; and if in future
from that time forward good fortune does not befall thee in alternation
with calamities, 34 apply remedies in the manner by me suggested."
41. Polycrates, having read this and having perceived by reflection that
Amasis suggested to him good counsel, sought to find which one of his
treasures he would be most afflicted in his soul to lose; and seeking
he found this which I shall say:—he had a signet which he used to wear,
enchased in gold and made of an emerald stone; and it was the work of
Theodoros the son of Telecles of Samos. 35 Seeing then that he thought
it good to cast this away, he did thus:—he manned a fifty-oared galley
with sailors and went on board of it himself; and then he bade them
put out into the deep sea. And when he had got to a distance from the
island, he took off the signet-ring, and in the sight of all who were
with him in the ship he threw it into the sea. Thus having done he
sailed home; and when he came to his house he mourned for his loss.
42. But on the fifth or sixth day after these things it happened to
him as follows:—a fisherman having caught a large and beautiful fish,
thought it right that this should be given as a gift to Polycrates. He
bore it therefore to the door of the palace and said that he desired to
come into the presence of Polycrates, and when he had obtained this he
gave him the fish, saying: "O king, having taken this fish I did not
think fit to bear it to the market, although I am one who lives by the
labour of his hands; but it seemed to me that it was worthy of thee and
of thy monarchy: therefore I bring it and present it to thee." He
then, being pleased at the words spoken, answered thus: "Thou didst
exceedingly well, and double thanks are due to thee, for thy words and
also for thy gift; and we invite thee to come to dinner." The fisherman
then, thinking this a great thing, went away to this house; and the
servants as they were cutting up the fish found in its belly the
signet-ring of Polycrates. Then as soon as they had seen it and taken it
up, they bore it rejoicing to Polycrates, and giving him the signet-ring
they told him in what manner it had been found: and he perceiving that
the matter was of God, wrote upon paper all that he had done and all
that had happened to him, and having written he despatched it to Egypt.
36
43. Then Amasis, when he had read the paper which had come from
Polycrates, perceived that it was impossible for man to rescue man from
the event which was to come to pass, and that Polycrates was destined
not to have a good end, being prosperous in all things, seeing that he
found again even that which he cast away. Therefore he sent an envoy to
him in Samos and said that he broke off the guest-friendship; and this
he did lest when a fearful and great mishap befell Polycrates, he might
himself be grieved in his soul as for a man who was his guest.
44. It was this Polycrates then, prosperous in all things, against whom
the Lacedemonians were making an expedition, being invited by those
Samians who afterwards settled at Kydonia in Crete, to come to their
assistance. Now Polycrates had sent an envoy to Cambyses the son of
Cyrus without the knowledge of the Samians, as he was gathering an army
to go against Egypt, and had asked him to send to him in Samos and to
ask for an armed force. So Cambyses hearing this very readily sent to
Samos to ask Polycrates to send a naval force with him against Egypt:
and Polycrates selected of the citizens those whom he most suspected
of desiring to rise against him and sent them away in forty triremes,
charging Cambyses not to send them back.