They say that Solon, at the request of Croesus, came to Sardis. When Solon examined the magnificent castle of Croesus, he asked him if he knew a man happier than he, Croesus. Solon replied that he knew such a person: this was his fellow citizen Tell. Then he said that Tell was a man of high morality, left behind children of good name, property in which there was everything necessary, and died with glory, bravely fighting for the fatherland. Solon seemed to Croesus an eccentric and a rude man, since he does not measure happiness by the abundance of silver and gold, but puts the life and death of a common man above his enormous power and authority. And yet he again asked Solon if he knew anyone else after Tell who was happier than him. Solon again said that he knew: these were Cleobis and Biton, two brothers who loved each other and their mother extremely much. When one day the oxen did not come from the pasture for a long time, they themselves harnessed themselves to the cart and took their mother to the temple of Hera. All the citizens called her happy, and she was happy. And they made a sacrifice, drank water, but the next day they did not get up; they were found dead; They, having acquired such glory, saw death without pain and sorrow.
“And you don’t count me at all,” Croesus exclaimed with anger, “at all among the happy people?”
Then Solon, not wanting to flatter him, but also not wanting to irritate him even longer, said:
- King of Lydia! God gave us, the Hellenes, the ability to observe moderation in everything. And as a result of such a sense of proportion and intelligence, we are characterized by a kind of timid, apparently common people, and not a royal, brilliant one. Such a mind, seeing that in life there are always all sorts of vicissitudes of fate, does not allow one to be proud of the happiness of a given moment, if the time has not yet passed when it can change. The future, full of all sorts of accidents, approaches everyone imperceptibly. To whom God sends happiness for the rest of his life, we consider him happy. And to call a person happy during his lifetime, while he is still exposed to danger, is the same as declaring a winner and crowning with a wreath an athlete who has not yet finished the competition. This is an incorrect matter, devoid of any meaning.
After these words, Solon left. He offended Croesus, but did not bring him to his senses. This is how Croesus treated Solon with disdain at that time.
After defeat in the battle with Cyrus, Croesus lost his capital, was himself captured alive, and faced the sad fate of being burned at the stake. The fire was already ready. The bound Croesus was placed on top of him. All the Persians looked at this spectacle, and Cyrus was there. Then Croesus, as far as he had the voice, exclaimed three times:
- Oh Solon! O Solon! O Solon!
Cyrus was surprised and sent to ask what kind of man or god Solon was, to whom alone he appealed in such hopeless misfortune. Croesus, without hiding anything, said:
“It was one of the Hellenic sages whom I invited, but not to listen to him and learn something that I needed, but so that he would admire my wealth and, returning to his homeland, tell about that prosperity, the loss of which, as it turned out, caused more grief than its acquisition - happiness. While it existed, all that was good from it was empty talk and fame. And his loss led me to severe suffering and disasters from which there is no salvation. So Solon, looking at my situation at that time, foresaw what had now happened, and advised me to keep in mind the end of my life, and not to be proud and boast of a fragile property.
This answer was conveyed to Cyrus. He turned out to be smarter than Croesus and, seeing the confirmation of Solon's words in this example, not only freed Croesus, but also treated him with respect throughout his life.
This is how Solon became famous: with one word he saved one king and enlightened another.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru