Herodotus. Book 1, Chapter 35.
35. Now it chanced that while he was making arrangements for the wedding, there came to Sardis a man under a misfortune who had upon him the stain of blood. He was by race a Phrygian, and belonged to the family of the king. Presenting himself at the palace of Croesus, he prayed to be admitted to purification according to the customs of the country. Now the Lydian method of purifying is very nearly the same as the Greek. Croesus granted the request, and went through all the customary rites, after which he asked the suppliant of his birth and country, addressing him as follows: "Who are you, stranger, and from what part of Phrygia do you flee to take refuge at my hearth? And whom, moreover, what man or what woman, have you slain?" "Oh! king," replied the Phrygian, "I am the son of Gordias, son of Midas. I am named Adrastus. The man I unintentionally slew was my own brother. For this my father drove me from the land, and I lost all. Then fled I here to you." "You are the offspring," Croesus rejoined, "of a house friendly to mine, and you are come to friends. You shall want for nothing as long as you abide in my dominions. Bear your misfortune as easily as you may, so it will go best for you." Afterwards Adrastus lived in the palace of the king.
Text source: Herodotus. Translated by George Rawlinson, first issued in 1858. Grammar and spelling updated by Michael Presky, 1993.
place time topic people language
Greece -
Ancient -
History -
Greeks -
Greek translation