_King Cræsus of Lydia reasoneth with the wyseman Solon, of the happie
life of man. Who little esteeming his good aduise, vnderstoode before
his death, that no man (but by vertue) can in this life attaine
felicitie._
A noble Gentleman of Athens called Solon, by th’ appointement of the
Athenians, made lawes for that citie, and because none of the same lawes
shoulde be abrogated, for the space of tenne yeares, hee bounde the
Citizens by othe. And that the same mighte the better be obserued; he
himselfe traueyled into farre countries, as into Egipt to visite king
Hamasis, and so to Sardis to kinge Cræsus, where he was liberallie
intertayned. This Cræsus was king of Lydia, sonne of Haliattes, that
brought to subiection great countries in Asia and Græcia, and gathered
together an innumerable masse of moneye and riches. Who three or foure
dayes after the arriuall of Solon (which was led aboute by his
seruauntes, to viewe his notable wealth and substaunce) said vnto Solon
these wordes. “My frende of Athens, because thy famous wysedome is well
knowen to the worlde, and I haue heard tell of the excellencie therof,
and of the greatnes of thy trauaile, where thou hast attaigned to the
singuler knowledge of Philosophie; I desire to learne of thee (now
hauing seene my great treasures) who is the happiest man and most
blessed, that thou knowest in this world.” Thinking he would haue iudged
him to be the same. But Solon made aunswere, that, “Tellus was the
happiest; who was an Athenien, and had vertuous and honest sonnes, and
they likewise had honest children, all which were that time liuing. And
when by the space of many yeares he had ledde a vertuous and godly life,
he died an honourable death in the warres which the Athenians had with
theyr neighbours, at the battaile of Eleusina. Wher he was indued with
sumptuous funerals, to his great honour and prayse.” Then Cræsus asked
him: “Who was happie next Tellus;” thinking hee would haue attributed to
him the second place. “Forsoth (quoth he) that is Cleobis and Bito,
which were Argiues, and liued a contented life. And in all pastimes to
proue force and maisterie, they bare away the prise and victorie. And of
them these thinges be remembred; when the feastfull day of Iuppiter was
celebrated amonges the Argiues; their mother should be caried to the
Temple in a Chariot, drawen with a yoke of Oxen, which were not come out
of the countrie at the appointed time. The yonge men seinge that the
hower was come, entred into the yoke themselues, and drewe the chariotte
the space of XLV. stades to the Temple. After this acte seene of all the
people there, th’ende of their life was such, as certainly God gaue to
vnderstand by them, that better it is to die, then liue. For the Argiues
that were assembled about Bito and Cleobis, with shoutes and
acclamations, praised the good willes of those children, and the women
themselues said, ‘That happie was the mother, which brought forth such
lineage.’ Their mother then ioyfull for that fact, and of the reputation
of her sonnes, kneeled downe before the Image of Iuno, humbly
beseechinge her to giue her sonnes the thinge that were best for a man
to attaine vnto. Her prayer ended, she made her sacrifice, which done,
the two yonge men presently died in the temple. In token of whose noble
liues, the Argiues erected two Images at Delphos.” And to them Solon
appointed the second place of blisfulnes. Cræesus moued with these
words, said vnto Solon. “Thou straunger of Athens, is our felicitie in
such litle reputation with thee that thou doest preferre before vs these
priuate men?” Solon aunswered: “Sir shal I assure you of humaine things,
knowing that God enuieth the state of men, and troubleth them so often:
in length of time many thinges be seen, which men would not see, and
many thinges be suffred, that men would not suffer. Let vs assigne to
mans life the terme of LXX. yeres: in which yeares are the nomber of
XXV.M.CC. dayes, in which computation the leape moneth, which is
February, is not comprehended. But if you wil that other yeres be
longer, by reason of that moneth, to th’ end the howers may be adioyned
to them, that want then the leape monethes, maketh the time to amount
(aboue LXX. yeares) to XXV. monethes, and the dayes of those monethes
amount to M.V.C. But admit that LXX. yeares with their leape monethes,
be the total summe of man’s life, then is producted the summe of XXV. M.
CC. dayes. Truly one day is not like an other in effect, euen so Cræsus
I conclude, that man is ful of miserie. But althoughe your grace,
seeming both in wealth, and also in multitude of men, to be a riche and
mightie king, yet I cannot aunswere fullye your demaunde, before I see
howe well you doe ende your life: for the rich man is not more happie,
because he hath long life, except to his riches fortune graunt that he
lead a good and honest life. Many men be very rich, and yet for all that
be not blessed and happie: and manye that haue but meane wealth, be
fortunate. He that is rich and wealthie, and therewithal not happie,
excelleth him that is fortunate and happy onely in two thinges, but
th’other surmounteth the riche man in many thinges. The two thinges
wherein the rich excelleth th’other be these. Th’one in satisfying his
lust and affection, th’other in power and abilitie, to susteine harde
fortune and aduersitie; and as the meane man is inferiour to the rich in
these two points, which by fortune be denied him, yet he doth excell
him, because he neuer hath experience of them; he liueth in good and
prosperous health, he neuer feeleth aduersitie, he doth nothing that is
wicked, he is a father of good children, he is indued with formosity and
beautie, who if (besides all those thinges) he die well, it is he to
aunswere your demaunde that worthely may be called happie; for before he
die he cannot be so called: and yet fortunate he may be termed. For to
obtaine all (whiles you be a liuing man) it is impossible: for as one
countrie is not able to serue it selfe with all commodities, but hauing
one it lacketh an other: yet the same countrie that hath most
commodities is the beste: and as a man’s bodie hauing one perfection is
not perfect, because in hauing one he lacketh another: euen so he that
hath most vertue, and is indued with greatest nomber of the aforesaid
commodities, and so quietly departeth his life, he in mine opinion is
worthy to be intitled with the name of a king. A man must expect th’ende
of euery thinge whereunto it tendeth: for God plucketh vppe by the
rootes many men, to whom hee hath giuen abundaunce of wealth and
treasure.” Cræsus misliking the woordes of Solon suffred him to depart
saying: “He was a foole that measured present pleasures with no better
regard.” After whose departure, the gods began to bende their
indignation and displeasure vpon him, because he thoughte himselfe the
happiest man aliue. Long time after, Cræsus receyuing courage and
comfort from Apollo at Delphos, attempted warres against Cyrus kinge of
Persia, who in those warres was ouerthrowen, and taken prisoner after he
had raigned XIIII. yeares, and was broughte by the Persians to Cyrus.
Then Cyrus caused a stacke of woode to be piled vp, and Cræsus fettred
with giues, was set vpon the same: who then remembring the saying of
Solon, that no liuing man was blessed, or in all pointes happie, cried
out in lamentable wyse, “O Solon! Solon! Solon!” which Cyrus hearing,
caused his interpreters to demaund of him, what the same Solon was.
Cræsus with much difficultie toulde what he was, and declared all the
talke betwene him and Solon. Wherof when Cyrus heard the report, he
acknowledged himselfe to be also a man, and sore repented that he went
about to burne him, which was equal vnto him in honour and riches,
confessing nothing to be stable and certaine in the life of man.
Wherupon he commaunded the fire to be taken awaye, which then began to
flame. And so with much a doe, he was deliuered. Then Cyrus asked him,
who gaue him counsaile to inuade his countrie, to make his frende his
foe. “Euen my selfe (saide Cræsus) through vnhappie fate, by the
perswasion of the Greekish God which gaue me counsaile, to make warres
vpon thee: for there is no man so madde, that had rather desire warre
then peace. For in peace sonnes burie their fathers, but in warres,
fathers burie their children. But that these thinges be come to passe,
I maye thancke the deuil’s good grace.” Afterward Cyrus intertained him
very honourablie, and vsed his counsell, which he found very holsome and
good.