and so far as time allowed inspected them,
Croesus addrest this question to him: "Stranger of Athens, we have
heard much of thy wisdom and of thy travels through many lands, from
love of knowledge and a wish to see the world. I am curious therefore
to inquire of thee, whom of all the men that thou hast seen thou
deemest the most happy?"

This he asked because he thought himself the happiest of mortals; but
Solon answered him without flattery, according to his true sentiments,
"Tellus of Athens, sire." Full of astonishment at what he had heard
Croesus demanded sharply, "And wherefore dost thou deem Tellus
happiest?" To this the other replied: "First, because his country was
flourishing in his days, and he himself had sons both beautiful and
good, and he lived to see children born to each of them, and these
children all grew up; and further, because after a life spent in what
our people look upon as comfort, his end was surpassingly glorious. In
a battle between the Athenians and their neighbors near Eleusis, he
came to the assistance of his countrymen, routed the foe, and died
upon the field most gallantly. The Athenians gave him a public funeral
on the spot where he fell, and paid him the highest honors."

Thus did Solon admonish Croesus by the example of Tellus,
enumerating the manifold particulars of his happiness. When he had
ended, Croesus inquired a second time, who after Tellus seemed to
him the happiest, expecting that at any rate he would be given the
second place. "Cleobis and Bito," Solon answered: "they were of Argive
race; their fortune was enough for their wants, and they were besides
endowed with so much bodily strength that they had both gained prizes
at the games. Also, this tale is told of them: There was a great
festival in honor of the goddess Juno at Argos, to which their mother
must needs be taken in a car. Now, the oxen did not come home from the
field in time; so the youths, fearful of being too late, put the yoke
on their own necks, and themselves drew the car in which their mother
rode. Five and forty furlongs did they draw her, and stopt before the
temple. This deed of theirs was witnessed by the whole assembly of
worshipers, and then their life closed in the best possible way.
Herein, too, God showed forth most evidently how much better a thing
for man death is than life. For the Argive men stood thick around the
car and extolled the vast strength of the youths; and the Argive women
extolle