arations and their
ships were ready, there came another message reporting that the fortress
of the Lydians had been taken and that Croesus had been made prisoner.
Then (and not before) they ceased from their efforts, being grieved at
the event as at a great calamity.

84. Now the taking of Sardis came about as follows:--When the fourteenth
day came after Croesus began to be besieged, Cyrus made proclamation
to his army, sending horsemen round to the several parts of it, that he
would give gifts to the man who should first scale the wall. After this
the army made an attempt; and when it failed, then after all the rest
had ceased from the attack, a certain Mardian whose name was Hyroiades
made an attempt to approach on that side of the citadel where no guard
had been set; for they had no fear that it would ever be taken from that
side, seeing that here the citadel is precipitous and unassailable. To
this part of the wall alone Meles also, who formerly was king of Sardis,
did not carry round the lion which his concubine bore to him, the
Telmessians having given decision that if the lion should be carried
round the wall, Sardis should be safe from capture: and Meles having
carried it round the rest of the wall, that is to say those parts of the
citadel where the fortress was open to attack, passed over this part as
being unassailable and precipitous: now this is a part of the city which
is turned towards Tmolos. So then this 97 Mardian Hyroiades, having seen
on the day before how one of the Lydians had descended on that side of
the citadel to recover his helmet which had rolled down from above,
and had picked it up, took thought and cast the matter about in his own
mind. Then he himself 98 ascended first, and after him came up others
of the Persians, and many having thus made approach, Sardis was finally
taken and the whole city was given up to plunder.

85. Meanwhile to Croesus himself it happened thus:--He had a son, of whom
I made mention before, who was of good disposition enough but deprived
of speech. Now in his former time of prosperity Croesus had done
everything that was possible for him, and besides other things which he
devised he had also sent messengers to Delphi to inquire concerning him.
And the Pythian prophetess spoke to him thus:

"Lydian, master of many, much blind to destiny, Croesus,
Do not desire to hear in thy halls that voice which is prayed for,
Voice of thy son; much better if this from th