able
to change. Strange things await every man in the unknown future; and we
think that man alone happy whose life has been brought to a fortunate
termination. To congratulate a man who is yet alive and exposed to the
caprice of fortune is like proclaiming and crowning as victor one who
has not yet run his race, for his good fortune is uncertain and liable
to reversal." After speaking thus, Solon took his leave, having enraged
Croesus, who could not take his good advice.

XXVIII. Aesop, the writer of the fables, who had been sent for to Sardis
by Croesus and enjoyed his favour, was vexed at the king's ungracious
reception of Solon, and advised him thus: "Solon," said he, "one ought
either to say very little to kings or else say what they wish most to
hear." "Not so," said Solon; "one should either say very little to them,
or else say what is best for them to hear." So at that time Croesus
despised Solon; but after he had been defeated by Cyrus, his city taken,
and he himself was about to be burned alive upon a pyre erected in the
presence of all the Persians and of Cyrus himself, then he thrice cried
out, "Solon," as loud as he could. Cyrus, surprised at this, sent to ask
what man or god Solon might be, who was invoked by a man in such
extremity. Croesus, without any concealment said, "He is one of the wise
men of Greece, whom I sent for, not because I wished to listen to him
and learn what I was ignorant of, but in order that he might see and
tell of my wealth, which I find it is a greater misfortune to lose than
it was a blessing to possess. For, while I possessed it, all I enjoyed
was opinion and empty talk; whereas, now the loss of it has brought me
in very deed into terrible and irreparable misfortunes and sufferings.
Now this man, who foresaw what might befall me, bade me look to the end
of my life, and not be arrogant on the strength of a fleeting
prosperity."

When this was reported to Cyrus, he being a wiser man than Croesus, and
finding Solon's words strongly borne out by the example before him, not
only released Croesus, but treated him with favour for the rest of his
life; so that Solon had the glory of having by the same words saved one
king's life and given instruction to another.

XXIX. During Solon's absence the strife of the factions at Athens was
renewed; Lykurgus was the chief of the party of the Pediaei, Megakles,
the son of Alkmaeon, led the Parali, and Peisistratus, the Diakrii, who
were joined