e　luxuries　or　delights　of　life。　　　　　The　Cappadocians　are　known　to　the　Greeks　by　the　name　of　Syrians。　Before　the　rise　of　the　Persian　power；　they　had　been　subject　to　the　Medes；　but　at　the　present　time　they　were　within　the　empire　of　Cyrus；　for　the　boundary　between　the　Median　and　the　Lydian　empires　was　the　river　Halys。　This　stream；　which　rises　in　the　mountain　country　of　Armenia；　runs　first　through　Cilicia；　afterwards　it　flows　for　a　while　with　the　Matieni　on　the　right；　and　the　Phrygians　on　the　left：　then；　when　they　are　passed；　it　proceeds　with　a　northern　course；　separating　the　Cappadocian　Syrians　from　the　Paphlagonians；　who　occupy　the　left　bank；　thus　forming　the　boundary　of　almost　the　whole　of　Lower　Asia；　from　the　sea　opposite　Cyprus　to　the　Euxine。　Just　there　is　the　neck　of　the　peninsula；　a　journey　of　five　days　across　for　an　active　walker。　　　　　There　were　two　motives　which　led　Croesus　to　attack　Cappadocia：　firstly；　he　coveted　the　land；　which　he　wished　to　add　to　his　own　dominions；　but　the　chief　reason　was　that　he　wanted　to　revenge　on　Cyrus　the　wrongs　of　Astyages；　and　was　made　confident　by　the　oracle　of　being　able　so　to　do：　for　Astyages；　son　of　Cyaxares　and　king　of　the　Medes；　who　had　been　dethroned　by　Cyrus；　son　of　Cambyses；　was　Croesus'　brother　by　marriage。　This　marriage　had　taken　place　under　circumstances　which　I　will　now　relate。　A　band　of　Scythian　nomads；　who　had　left　their　own　land　on　occasion　of　some　disturbance；　had　taken　refuge　in　Media。　Cyaxares；　son　of　Phraortes；　and　grandson　of　Deioces；　was　at　that　time　king　of　the　country。　Recognising　them　as　suppliants；　he　began　by　treating　them　with　kindness；　and　coming　presently　to　esteem　them　highly；　he　intrusted　to　their　care　a　number　of　boys；　whom　they　were　to　teach　their　language　and　to　instruct　in　the　use　of　the　bow。　Time　passed；　and　the　Scythians　employed　themselves；　day　after　day；　in　hunting；　and　always　brought　home　some　game；　but　at　last　it　chanced　that　one　day　they　took　nothing。　On　their　return　to　Cyaxares　with　empty　hands；　that　monarch；　who　was　hot…tempered；　as　he　showed　upon　the　occasion；　received　them　very　rudely　and　insultingly。　In　consequence　of　this　treatment；　which　they　did　not　conceive　themselves　to　have　deserved；　the　Scythians　determined　to　take　one　of　the　boys　whom　they　had　in　charge；　cut　him　in　pieces；　and　then　dressing　the　flesh　as　they　were　wont　to　dress　that　of　the　wild　animals；　serve　it　up　to　Cyaxares　as　game：　after　which　they　resolved　to　convey　themselves　with　all　speed　to　Sardis；　to　the　court　of　Alyattes；　the　son　of　Sadyattes。　The　plan　was　carried　out：　Cyaxares　and　his　guests　ate　of　the　flesh　prepared　by　the　Scythians；　and　they　themselves；　having　accomplished　their　purpose；　fled　to　Alyattes　in　the　guise　of　suppliants。　　　　　Afterwards；　on　the　refusal　of　Alyattes　to　give　up　his　suppliants　when　Cyaxares　sent　to　demand　them　of　him；　war　broke　out　between　the　Lydians　and　the　Medes；　and　continued　for　five　years；　with　various　success。　In　the　course　of　it　the　Medes　gained　many　victories　over　the　Lydians；　and　the　Lydians　also　gained　many　victories　over　the　Medes。　Among　their　other　battles　there　was　one　night　engagement。　As；　however；　the　balance　had　not　inclined　in　favour　of　either　nation；　another　combat　took　place　in　the　sixth　year；　in　the　course　of　which；　just　as　the　battle　was　growing　warm；　day　was　on　a　sudden　changed　into　night。　This　event　had　been　foretold　by　Thales；　the　Milesian；　who　forewarned　the　Ionians　of　it；　fixing　for　it　the　very　year　in　which　it　actually　took　place。　The　Medes　and　Lydians；　when　they　observed　the　change；　ceased　fighting；　and　were　alike　anxious　to　have　terms　of　peace　agreed　on。　Syennesis　of　Cilicia；　and　Labynetus　of　Babylon；　were　the　persons　who　mediated　between　the　parties；　who　hastened　the　taking　of　the　oaths；　and　brought　about　the　exchange　of　espousals。　It　was　they　who　advised　that　Alyattes　should　give　his　daughter　Aryenis　in　marriage　to　Astyages；　the　son　of　Cyaxares；　knowing；　as　they　did；　that　without　some　sure　bond　of　strong　necessity；　there　is　wont　to　be　but　little　security　in　men's　covenants。　Oaths　are　taken　by　these　people　in　the　same　way　as　by　the　Greeks；　except　that　they　make　a　slight　flesh　wound　in　their　arms；　from　which　each　sucks　a　portion　of　the　other's　blood。　　　　　Cyrus　had　captured　this　Astyages；　who　was　his　mother's　father；　and　kept　him　prisoner；　for　a　reason　which　I　shall　bring　forward　in　another　of　my　history。　This　capture　formed　the　ground　of　quarrel　between　Cyrus　and　Croesus；　in　consequence　of　which　Croesus　sent　his　servants　to　ask　the　oracle　if　he　should　attack　the　Persians；　and　when　an　evasive　answer　came；　fancying　it　to　be　in　his　favour；　carried　his　arms　into　the　Persian　territory。　When　he　reached　the　river　Halys；　he　transported　his　army　across　it；　as　I　maintain；　by　the　bridges　which　exist　there　at　the　present　day；　but；　according　to　the　general　belief　of　the　Greeks；　by　the　aid　of　Thales　the　Milesian。　The　tale　is　that　Croesus　was　in　doubt　how　he　should　get　his　army　across；　as　the　bridges　were　not　made　at　that　time；　and　that　Thales；　who　happened　to　be　in　the　camp；　divided　the　stream　and　caused　it　to　flow　on　both　sides　of　the　army　instead　of　on　the　left　only。　This　he　effected　thus：…　Beginning　some　distance　above　the　camp；　he　dug　a　deep　channel；　which　he　brought　round　in　a　semicircle；　so　that　it　might　pass　to　rearward　of　the　camp；　and　that　thus　the　river；　diverted　from　its　natural　course　into　the　new　channel　at　the　point　where　this　left　the　stream；　might　flow　by　the　station　of　the　army；　and　afterwards　fall　again　into　the　ancient　bed。　In　this　way　the　river　was　split　into　two　streams；　which　were　both　easily　fordable。　It　is　said　by　some　that　the　water　was　entirely　drained　off　from　the　natural　bed　of　the　river。　But　I　am　of　a　different　opinion；　for　I　do　not　see　how；　in　that　case；　they　could　have　crossed　it　on　their　return。　　　　　Having　passed　the　Halys　with　the　forces　under　his　command；　Croesus　entered　the　district　of　Cappadocia　which　is　called　Pteria。　It　lies　in　the　neighbourhood　of　the　city　of　Sinope　upon　the　Euxine；　and　is　the　strongest　position　in　the　whole　country　thereabouts。　Here　Croesus　pitched　his　camp；　and　began　to　ravage　the　fields　of　the　Syrians。　He　besieged　and　took　the　chief　city　of　the　Pterians；　and　reduced　the　inhabitants　to　slavery：　he　likewise　made　himself　master　of　the　surrounding　villages。　Thus　he　brought　ruin　on　the　Syrians；　who　were　guilty　of　no　offence　towards　him。　Meanwhile；　Cyrus　had　levied　an　army　and　marched　against　Croesus；　increasing　his　numbers　at　every　step　by　the　forces　of　the　nations　that　lay　in　his　way。　Before　beginning　his　march　he　had　sent　heralds　to　the　Ionians；　with　an　invitation　to　them　to　revolt　from　the　Lydian　king：　they；　however；　had　refused　compliance。　Cyrus；　notwithstanding；　marched　against　the　enemy；　and　encamped　opposite　them　in　the　district　of　Pteria；　where　the　trial　of　strength　took　place　between　the　contending　powers。　The　combat　was　hot　and　bloody；　and　upon　both　sides　the　number　of　the　slain　was　great；　nor　had　victory　declared　in　favour　of　either　party；　when　night　came　down　upon　the　battle…field。　Thus　both　armies　fought　valiantly。　　　　　Croesus　laid　the　blame　of　his　ill　success　on　the　number　of　his　troops；　which　fell　very　short　of　the　enemy；　and　as　on　the　next　day　Cyrus　did　not　repeat　the　attack；　he　set　off　on　his　return　to　Sardis；　intending　to　collect　his　allies　and　renew　the　contest　in　the　spring。　He　meant　to　call　on　the　Egyptians　to　send　him　aid；　according　to　the　terms　of　the　alliance　which　he　had　concluded　with　Amasis；　previously　to　his　league　with　the　Lacedaemonians。　He　intended　also　to　summon　to　his　assistance　the　Babylonians；　under　their　king　Labynetus；　for　they　too　were　bound　to　him　by　treaty：　and　further；　he　meant　to　send　word　to　Sparta；　and　appoint　a　day　for　the　coming　of　their　succours。　Having　got　together　these　forces　in　addition　to　his　own；　he　would；　as　soon　as　the　winter　was　past　and　springtime　come；　march　once　more　against　the　Persians。　With　these　intentions　Croesus；　immediately　on　his　return；　despatched　heralds　to　his　various　allies；　with　a　request　that　they　would　join　him　at　Sardis　in　the　course　of　the　fifth　month　from　the　time　of　the　departure　of　his　messengers。　He　then　disbanded　the　army　consisting　of　mercenary　troops…　which　had　been　engaged　with　the　Persians　and　had　since　accompanied　him　to　his　capital；　and　let　them　depart　to　their　homes；　never　imagining　that　Cyrus；　after　a　battle　in　which　victory　had　been　so　evenly　balanced；　would　venture　to　march　upon　Sardis。　　　　　While　Croesus　was　still　in　this　mind；　all　the　suburbs　of　Sardis　were　found　to　swarm　with　snakes；　on　the　appearance　of　which　the　horses　left　feeding　in　the　pasture…grounds；　and　flocked　to　the　suburbs　to　eat　them。　The　king；　who　witnessed　the　unusual　sight；　regarded　it　very　rightly　as　a　prodigy。　He　therefore　instantly　sent　messengers　to　the　soothsayers　of　Telmessus；　to　consult　them　upon　the　matter；　His　messengers　reached　the　city；　and　obtained　from　the　Telmessians　an　explanation　of　what　the　prodigy　portended；　but　fate　did　not　allow　them　to　inform　their　lord；　for　ere　they　entered　Sardis　on　their　return；　Croesus　was　a　prisoner。　What　the　Telmessians　had　declared　was　that　Croesus　must　look　for　the　entry　of　an　army　of　foreign　invaders　into　his　country；　and　that　when　they　came　they　would　subdue　the　native　inhabitants；　since　the　s