affection, and of the respect due from children to their
parents. Upon a solemn festival, when their mother, a priestess of Juno,
was to go to the temple, the oxen that were to draw her not being ready,
the two sons put themselves to the yoke, and drew their mother's chariot
thither, which was above five miles distant. All the mothers of the place,
ravished with admiration, congratulated the priestess on being the mother
of such sons. She, in the transports of her joy and thankfulness,
earnestly entreated the goddess to reward her children with the best thing
that heaven can give to man. Her prayers were heard. When the sacrifice
was over, her two sons fell asleep in the very temple, and there
died(1102) in a soft and peaceful slumber. In honour of their piety, the
people of Argos consecrated statues to them in the temple of Delphi."

"What then," says Croesus, in a tone that showed his discontent, "you do
not reckon me in the number of the happy?" Solon, who was not willing
either to flatter or exasperate him any further, replied calmly: "King of
Lydia, besides many other advantages, the gods have given us Grecians a
spirit of moderation and reserve, which has produced amongst us a plain,
popular kind of philosophy, accompanied with a certain generous freedom,
void of pride or ostentation, and therefore not well suited to the courts
of kings: this philosophy, considering what an infinite number of
vicissitudes and accidents the life of man is liable to, does not allow us
either to glory in any prosperity we enjoy ourselves, or to admire
happiness in others, which perhaps may prove only transient, or
superficial." From hence he took occasion to represent to him further,
"That the life of man seldom exceeds seventy years, which make up in all
six thousand two hundred and fifty days, of which no two are exactly
alike; so that the time to come is nothing but a series of various
accidents, which cannot be foreseen. Therefore, in our opinion," continued
he, "no man can be esteemed happy, but he whose happiness God continues to
the end of his life: as for others, who are perpetually exposed to a
thousand dangers, we account their happiness as uncertain as the crown is
to a person that is still engaged in battle, and has not yet obtained the
victory." Solon retired, when he had spoken these words,(1103) which
served only to mortify Croesus, but not to reform him.

AEsop, the author of the Fables, was then at the court of this p