Herodotus. Book 1, Chapter 71.
71. Meanwhile Croesus, taking the oracle in a wrong sense, led his forces into Cappadocia, fully expecting to defeat Cyrus and destroy the empire of the Persians. While he was still engaged in making preparations for his attack, a Lydian named Sandanis, who had always been looked upon as a wise man, but who after this obtained a very great name indeed among his countrymen, came forward and counselled the king in these words:
"You are about, oh! king, to make war against men who wear leather trousers, and have all their other garments of leather. Who feed not on what they like, but on what they can get from a soil that is sterile and unkindly. Who do not indulge in wine, but drink water. Who possess no figs nor anything else that is good to eat. If, then, you conquer them, what can you get from them, seeing that they have nothing at all? But if they conquer you, consider how much that is precious you will lose. If they once get a taste of our pleasant things, they will keep such hold of them that we shall never be able to make them loose their grasp. For my part, I am thankful to the gods, that they have not put it into the hearts of the Persians to invade Lydia."
Croesus was not persuaded by this speech, though it was true enough. For before the conquest of Lydia, the Persians possessed none of the luxuries or delights of life.
71. Meanwhile Croesus, taking the oracle in a wrong sense, led his forces into Cappadocia, fully expecting to defeat Cyrus and destroy the empire of the Persians. While he was still engaged in making preparations for his attack, a Lydian named Sandanis, who had always been looked upon as a wise man, but who after this obtained a very great name indeed among his countrymen, came forward and counselled the king in these words:
"You are about, oh! king, to make war against men who wear leather trousers, and have all their other garments of leather. Who feed not on what they like, but on what they can get from a soil that is sterile and unkindly. Who do not indulge in wine, but drink water. Who possess no figs nor anything else that is good to eat. If, then, you conquer them, what can you get from them, seeing that they have nothing at all? But if they conquer you, consider how much that is precious you will lose. If they once get a taste of our pleasant things, they will keep such hold of them that we shall never be able to make them loose their grasp. For my part, I am thankful to the gods, that they have not put it into the hearts of the Persians to invade Lydia."
Croesus was not persuaded by this speech, though it was true enough. For before the conquest of Lydia, the Persians possessed none of the luxuries or delights of life.
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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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