the son of Belos,
the son of Alcaios, was the first of the Heracleidai who became king of
Sardis, and Candaules the son of Myrsos was the last; but those who were
kings over this land before Agrond, were descendants of Lydos the son
of Atys, whence this whole nation was called Lydian, having been before
called Meonian. From these the Heracleidai, descended from Heracles and
the slave-girl of Iardanos, obtained the government, being charged
with it by reason of an oracle; and they reigned for two-and-twenty
generations of men, five hundred and five years, handing on the power
from father to son, till the time of Clandaules the son of Myrsos.

8. This Candaules then of whom I speak had become passionately in love
with his own wife; and having become so, he deemed that his wife was
fairer by far than all other women; and thus deeming, to Gyges the son
of Daskylos (for he of all his spearmen was the most pleasing to him),
to this Gyges, I say, he used to impart as well the more weighty of his
affairs as also the beauty of his wife, praising it above measure: and
after no long time, since it was destined that evil should happen to
Candaules, he said to Gyges as follows: "Gyges, I think that thou dost
not believe me when I tell thee of the beauty of my wife, for it
happens that men's ears are less apt of belief than their eyes: contrive
therefore means by which thou mayest look upon her naked." But he cried
aloud and said: "Master, what word of unwisdom is this which thou dost
utter, bidding me look upon my mistress naked? When a woman puts off
her tunic she puts off her modesty also. Moreover of old time those fair
sayings have been found out by men, from which we ought to learn wisdom;
and of these one is this,--that each man should look on his own: but I
believe indeed that she is of all women the fairest and I entreat thee
not to ask of me that which it is not lawful for me to do."

9. With such words as these he resisted, fearing lest some evil might
come to him from this; but the king answered him thus: "Be of good
courage, Gyges, and have no fear, either of me, that I am saying these
words to try thee, or of my wife, lest any harm may happen to thee from
her. For I will contrive it so from the first that she shall not even
perceive that she has been seen by thee. I will place thee in the room
where we sleep, behind the open door; 7 and after I have gone in, my
wife also will come to lie down. Now there is a seat near