Herodotus. Book 1, Chapter 69.
69. Croesus, informed of all these circumstances, sent messengers to Sparta, with gifts in their hands, who were to ask the Spartan to enter into alliance with him. They received strict injunctions as to what they should say, and on their arrival at Sparta spoke as follows:
"Croesus, king of the Lydians and of other nations, has sent us to speak thus to you: 'Oh! Lacedmaemonians, the god has bidden me to make the Greek my friend. I therefore apply to you, in conformity with the oracle, knowing that you hold the first rank in Greece, and desire to become your friend and ally in all true faith and honesty.'"
Such was the message which Croesus sent by his heralds. The Lacedaemonians, who were aware beforehand of the reply given him by the oracle, were full of joy at the coming of the messengers, and at once took the oaths of friendship and alliance. This they did the more readily as they had previously contracted certain obligations towards him. They had sent to Sardis on one occasion to purchase some gold, intending to use it on a statue of Apollo (the statue, namely, which remains to this day at Thornax in Laconia), when Croesus, hearing of the matter, gave them as a gift the gold which they wanted.
69. Croesus, informed of all these circumstances, sent messengers to Sparta, with gifts in their hands, who were to ask the Spartan to enter into alliance with him. They received strict injunctions as to what they should say, and on their arrival at Sparta spoke as follows:
"Croesus, king of the Lydians and of other nations, has sent us to speak thus to you: 'Oh! Lacedmaemonians, the god has bidden me to make the Greek my friend. I therefore apply to you, in conformity with the oracle, knowing that you hold the first rank in Greece, and desire to become your friend and ally in all true faith and honesty.'"
Such was the message which Croesus sent by his heralds. The Lacedaemonians, who were aware beforehand of the reply given him by the oracle, were full of joy at the coming of the messengers, and at once took the oaths of friendship and alliance. This they did the more readily as they had previously contracted certain obligations towards him. They had sent to Sardis on one occasion to purchase some gold, intending to use it on a statue of Apollo (the statue, namely, which remains to this day at Thornax in Laconia), when Croesus, hearing of the matter, gave them as a gift the gold which they wanted.
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Text source: Herodotus. Translated by George Rawlinson, first issued in 1858. Grammar and spelling updated by Michael Presky, 1993.
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