ot
believe them, though they spoke the truth; because, as I declare my
opinion, the divine power was purposing to cause them utterly to perish,
and so make it evident to men that for great wrongs great also are the
chastisements which come from the gods. And thus have I delivered my
opinion concerning these matters.

121. After Proteus, they told me, Rhampsinitos received in succession
the kingdom, who left as a memorial of himself that gateway to the
temple of Hephaistos which is turned towards the West, and in front of
the gateway he set up two statues, in height five-and-twenty cubits, of
which the one which stands on the North side is called by the Egyptians
Summer and the one on the South side Winter; and to that one which they
call Summer they do reverence and make offerings, while to the other
which is called Winter they do the opposite of these things. (a) This
king, they said, got great wealth of silver, which none of the kings
born after him could surpass or even come near to; and wishing to store
his wealth in safety he caused to be built a chamber of stone, one of
the walls whereof was towards the outside of his palace: and the builder
of this, having a design against it, contrived as follows, that is, he
disposed one of the stones in such a manner that it could be taken
out easily from the wall either by two men or even by one. So when the
chamber was finished, the king stored his money in it, and after some
time the builder, being near the end of his life, called to him his sons
(for he had two) and to them he related how he had contrived in building
the treasury of the king, and all in forethought for them, that they
might have ample means of living. And when he had clearly set forth to
them everything concerning the taking out of the stone, he gave them the
measurements, saying that if they paid heed to this matter they would be
stewards of the king's treasury. So he ended his life, and his sons made
no long delay in setting to work, but went to the palace by night, and
having found the stone in the wall of the chamber they dealt with it
easily and carried forth for themselves great quantity of the wealth
within. (b) And the king happening to open the chamber, he marvelled
when he saw the vessels falling short of the full amount, and he did not
know on whom he should lay the blame, since the seals were unbroken and
the chamber had been close shut; but when upon his opening the chamber
a second and a thir