however he
did not prevail upon them, but the men who were conveying him bade him
either slay himself there, that he might receive burial on the land,
or leap straightway into the sea. So Arion being driven to a strait
entreated them that, since they were so minded, they would allow him to
take his stand in full minstrel's garb upon the deck 20 of the ship and
sing; and he promised to put himself to death after he had sung. They
then, well pleased to think that they should hear the best of all
minstrels upon earth, drew back from the stern towards the middle of
the ship; and he put on the full minstrel's garb and took his lyre, and
standing on the deck performed the Orthian measure. Then as the measure
ended, he threw himself into the sea just as he was, in his full
minstrel's garb; and they went on sailing away to Corinth, but him,
they say, a dolphin supported on its back and brought him to shore at
Tainaron: and when he had come to land he proceeded to Corinth with his
minstrel's garb. Thither having arrived he related all that had been
done; and Periander doubting of his story kept Arion in guard and
would let him go nowhere, while he kept careful watch for those who had
conveyed him. When these came, he called them and inquired of them if
they had any report to make of Arion; and when they said that he was
safe in Italy and that they had left him at Taras faring well, Arion
suddenly appeared before them in the same guise as when he made his leap
from the ship; and they being struck with amazement were no longer
able to deny when they were questioned. This is the tale told by the
Corinthians and Lesbians alike, and there is at Tainaron a votive
offering of Arion of no great size, 21 namely a bronze figure of a man
upon a dolphin's back.

25. Alyattes the Lydian, when he had thus waged war against the
Milesians, afterwards died, having reigned seven-and-fifty years. This
king, when he recovered from his sickness, dedicated a votive offering
at Delphi (being the second of his house who had so done), namely a
great mixing-bowl of silver with a stand for it of iron welded together,
which last is a sight worth seeing above all the offerings at Delphi and
the work of Glaucos the Chian, who of all men first found out the art of
welding iron.

26. After Alyattes was dead Croesus the son of Alyattes received the
kingdom in succession, being five-and-thirty years of age. He (as I
said) fought against the Hellenes and of the