and the land that has the greatest
number of things is the best: so also in the case of a man, no single
person is complete in himself, for one thing he has and another he
lacks; but whosoever of men continues to the end in possession of the
greatest number of these things and then has a gracious ending of his
life, he is by me accounted worthy, O king, to receive this name. But
we must of every thing examine the end and how it will turn out at the
last, for to many God shows but a glimpse of happiness and then plucks
them up by the roots and overturns them."

33. Thus saying he refused to gratify Croesus, who sent him away
from his presence holding him in no esteem, and thinking him utterly
senseless in that he passed over present good things and bade men look
to the end of every matter.

34. After Solon had departed, a great retribution from God came upon
Croesus, probably because he judged himself to be the happiest of all
men. First there came and stood by him a dream, which showed to him the
truth of the evils that were about to come to pass in respect of his
son. Now Croesus had two sons, of whom one was deficient, seeing that he
was deaf and dumb, while the other far surpassed his companions of the
same age in all things: and the name of this last was Atys. As regards
this Atys then, the dream signified to Croesus that he should lose him
by the blow of an iron spear-point: 35 and when he rose up from sleep
and considered the matter with himself, he was struck with fear on
account of the dream; and first he took for his son a wife; and whereas
his son had been wont to lead the armies of the Lydians, he now no
longer sent him forth anywhere on any such business; and the javelins
and lances and all such things which men use for fighting he conveyed
out of the men's apartments and piled them up in the inner bed-chambers,
for fear lest something hanging up might fall down upon his son.

35. Then while he was engaged about the marriage of his son, there came
to Sardis a man under a misfortune and with hands not clean, a Phrygian
by birth and of the royal house. This man came to the house of Croesus,
and according to the customs which prevail in that land made request
that he might have cleansing; and Croesus gave him cleansing: now the
manner of cleansing among the Lydians is the same almost as that which
the Hellenes use. So when Croesus had done that which was customary, he
asked of him whence he came and who he w