eira, in the valley of the
Cayster, though they had also other possessions at Dascylion, in
Hellespontine Phrygia. The head sometimes of one and sometimes of the
other family would fill that post of "companion" which placed all the
resources of the kingdom at the disposal of the occupant.

The first of the Mermnadae of whom we get a glimpse is Daskylos, son of
Gyges, who about the year 740 was "companion" during the declining years
of Ardys, over whom he exercised such influence that Adyattes, the
heir to the throne, took umbrage at it, and caused him to be secretly
assassinated, whereupon his widow, fearing for her own safety, hastily
fled into Phrygia, of which district she was a native. On hearing of the
crime, Ardys, trembling with anger, convoked the Assembly, and as his
advanced age rendered walking difficult, he caused himself to be carried
to the public square in a litter. Having reached the place, he laid the
assassins under a curse, and gave permission to any who could find them
to kill them; he then returned to his palace, where he died a few years
later, about 730 B.C. Adyattes took the name of Meles on ascending the
throne, and at first reigned happily, but his father's curse weighed
upon him, and before long began to take effect. Lydia having been laid
waste by a famine, the oracle declared that, before appeasing the gods,
the king must expiate the murder of the Mermnad noble, by making every
atonement in his power, if need be by an exile of three years' duration.
Meles submitted to the divine decree. He sought out the widow of his
victim, and learning that during her flight she had given birth to a
son, called, like his father, Daskylos, he sent to entreat the young
man to repair immediately to Sardes, that he might make amends for the
murder; the youth, however, alleged that he was as yet unborn at the
hour of his father's death, and therefore not entitled to be a party
to an arrangement which did not personally affect him, and refused
to return to his own country. Having failed in this attempt, Meles
entrusted the regency of his kingdom to Sadyattes, son of Kadys, one of
the Tylonidas, who probably had already filled the post of companion
to the king for some time past, and set out for Babylon. When the three
years had elapsed, Sadyattes faithfully handed over to him the reins of
government and resumed the second place. Myrsos succeeded Meles about
716,* and his accession immediately became the cause of