12–13
CROESUS
Then would you have me offer ingots of iron to the god and call the gold back again?
20
SOLON
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.
CROESUS
You are always at war with my wealth and begrudge me it.
HERMES
The Lydian cannot abide the outspokenness and the truthfulness of his words, Charon; it seems strange to him when a poor man does not cringe but says frankly whatever occurs to him. But he will remember Solon before long, when he has to be captured and put on the pyre by Cyrus. The other day I heard Clotho reading out the fate that had been spun for everyone, and among other things it had been recorded there that Croesus was to be “captured by Cyrus, and that Cyrus was to be slain by yonder woman of the Massagetae. Do you see her, the Scythian woman riding the white horse?
HERMES
That is Tomyris; and after she has cut off Cyrus’ head she will plunge it into a wine-skin full of blood. And do you see his son, the young man? That is Cambyses; he will be king after his father, and when he has had no end of ill-luck in Libya and Ethiopia he will at last go mad and die in consequence of slaying Apis.
