Lydian dynasty had long been decreed by the Fates, in
retribution for the guilt of Gyges, the founder of the line. He had
murdered his master, and usurped the throne, without any title to it
whatever. The judgments of Heaven had been denounced upon Gyges for
this crime, to fall on himself or on some of his descendants. The
Pythian Apollo at Delphi had done all in his power to postpone the
falling of the blow until after the death of Croesus, on account of
the munificent benefactions which he had made to the oracle; but he
had been unable to effect it: the decrees of Fate were inexorable. All
that the oracle could do was to postpone--as it had done, it said, for
three years--the execution of the sentence, and to give Croesus
warning of the evil that was impending. This had been done by
announcing to him that his crossing the Halys would cause the
destruction of a mighty empire, meaning that of Lydia, and also by
informing him that when he should find a mule upon the throne of Media
he must expect to lose his own. Cyrus, who was descended, on the
father's side, from the Persian stock, and on the mother's from that
of Media, was the hybrid sovereign represented by the mule.

When this answer was reported to Croesus, it is said that he was
satisfied with the explanations, and admitted that the oracle was
right, and that he himself had been unreasonable and wrong. However
this may be, it is certain that, among mankind at large, since
Croesus's day, there has been a great disposition to overlook
whatever of criminality there may have been in the falsehood and
imposture of the oracle, through admiration of the adroitness and
dexterity which its ministers evinced in saving themselves from
exposure.

CHAPTER VIII.

THE CONQUEST OF BABYLON.

B.C. 544-538

Babylon.--The River Euphrates.--Canals.--Curious boats.--Their mode
of construction.--Primitive navigation.--Return of the boatmen.--Extent
of Babylon.--Parks, gardens, palaces, etc.--The walls of
Babylon.--Marvelous accounts.--The ditches.--Streets and gates.--Palace
of the king.--Temple of Belus.--The bridge.--Sculptures.--The hanging
gardens.--Construction of the gardens.--The platform and
terraces.--Engine for raising water.--Floral beauties.--The works of
Nitocris.--Her canals and levees.--The bridge over the Euphrates.--The
tomb of the queen.--Cyrus plans an attack upon Babylon.--Government of
Lydia.--Cyrus returns eastward.--Revolt of the Lydians.--Detachmen