whose power did not depend on
the genius or incapacity of one man, but was maintained from age to
age in virtue of the prestige it had attained, whatever might be the
qualities of the reigning sovereign. The other independent states had at
length come to the same conclusion, and the news of the accession of a
fresh Assyrian king no longer awakened among them hopes of conquest or,
at all events, of booty; such an occasion was regarded as a suitable
opportunity for strengthening the bonds of neighbourly feeling or
conciliatory friendship which united them to Assyria, by sending an
embassy to congratulate the new sovereign. One of these embassies, which
arrived about 667 B.C., caused much excitement at the court of Nineveh,
and greatly flattered the vanity of the king. Reports brought back
by sailors or the chiefs of caravans had revealed the existence of a
kingdom of Lydia in the extreme west of Asia Minor, at the place of
embarcation for crossing the sea.*

* It is called _nagu sha nibirti tamtim_, "the country of
the crossing of the sea," or more concisely, "the country
this side the sea."

It was known to be celebrated for its gold and its horses, but no direct
relations between the two courts had ever been established, and the
Lydian kings had hitherto affected to ignore the existence of Assyria.
A revolution had broken out in this province a quarter of a century
previously, which had placed on the throne of the Heraclidse that family
of the Mermnado whose previous history had been so tragic. Dascylus,
who had made his home for a long time among the White Syrians, had no
intention of abandoning his adopted country, when one day, about the
year 698 B.C., a messenger arrived bidding him repair to Sardes without
delay. His uncle Ardys, prince of Tyrrha, having no children, had
applied to Sadyattes, beseeching him to revoke the sentence of
banishment passed on his nephew. "My house is desolate," said he, "and
all my kinsfolk are dead; and furthermore, Dascylus and his house have
already been pardoned by thine ancestors." Sadyattes consented, but
Dascylus, preferring not to return, sent his son Gyges, then about
eighteen years of age, in his stead. Gyges was a tall and very beautiful
youth, and showed unusual skill as a charioteer and in the use of
weapons, so that his renown soon spread throughout the country.
Sadyattes desired to see him, and being captivated by his bold
demeanour, enrolled him in his bo