ods, these fetters, and to ask him whether it is accounted
by him right to deceive those who do well to him." Then Cyrus asked him
what accusation he made against the god, that he thus requested; and
Croesus repeated to him all that had been in his mind, and the answers
of the Oracles, and especially the votive offerings, and how he had been
incited by the prophecy to march upon the Persians: and thus speaking he
came back again to the request that it might be permitted to him to make
this reproach 102 against the god. And Cyrus laughed and said: "Not this
only shalt thou obtain from me, Croesus, but also whatsoever thou mayst
desire of me at any time." Hearing this Croesus sent certain of the
Lydians to Delphi, enjoining them to lay the fetters upon the threshold
of the temple and to ask the god whether he felt no shame that he had
incited Croesus by his prophecies to march upon the Persians, persuading
him that he should bring to an end the empire of Cyrus, seeing that
these were the first-fruits of spoil which he had won from it,--at the
same time displaying the fetters. This they were to ask, and moreover
also whether it was thought right by the gods of the Hellenes to
practice ingratitude.

91. When the Lydians came and repeated that which they were enjoined to
say, it is related that the Pythian prophetess spoke as follows: "The
fated destiny it is impossible even for a god to escape. And Croesus
paid the debt due for the sin of his fifth ancestor, who being one of
the spearmen of the Heracleidai followed the treacherous device of a
woman, and having slain his master took possession of his royal dignity,
which belonged not to him of right. And although Loxias eagerly desired
that the calamity of Sardis might come upon the sons of Croesus and not
upon Croesus himself, it was not possible for him to draw the Destinies
aside from their course; but so much as these granted he brought to
pass, and gave it as a gift to Croesus: for he put off the taking of
Sardis by three years; and let Croesus be assured that he was taken
prisoner later by these years than the fated time: moreover secondly, he
assisted him when he was about to be burnt. And as to the oracle which
was given, Croesus finds fault with good ground: for Loxias told him
beforehand that if he should march upon the Persians he should destroy
a great empire: and he upon hearing this, if he wished to take counsel
well, ought to have sent and asked further whether