“像克罗伊斯一样富有”（3）（2/2）
《泰西故事30篇》作者：李汉昭 2017-04-10 17:32
reasures were carried away, and he himself was made prisoner.
“The stubbornness of this man Croesus,” said King Cyrus, “has caused us much trouble and the loss of many good soldiers. Take him and make an example of him for other petty kings who may dare to stand in our way.”
Thereupon the soldiers seized Croesus and dragged him to the market place, handling him pretty roughly all the time. Then they built up a great pile of dry sticks and timber taken from the ruins of his once beautiful palace. When this was finished they tied the unhappy king in the midst of it, and one ran for a torch to set it on fire.
“Now we shall have a merry blaze,” said the savage fellows. “What good can all his wealth do him now?”
As poor Croesus, bruised and bleeding, lay upon the pyre without a friend to soothe his misery, he thought of the words which Solon had spoken to him years before: “No man can say whether you are happy or not until you die,” and he moaned, “O Solon! O Solon! O Solon!”
It so happened that Cyrus was riding by at that very moment and heard his moans. “What does he say?” he asked of the soldiers.
“He says, ‘Solon, Solon, Solon!’” answered one.
Then the king rode nearer and asked Croesus, “Why do you call on the name of Solon?”
Croesus was silent at first; but after Cyrus had repeated his question kindly, he told all about Solon’s visit at his palace and what he had said.
The story affected Cyrus deeply. He thought of the words,“No man knows what misfortunes may overtake you, or what misery may be yours in place of all this splendor.” And he wondered if some time he, too, would lose all his power and be helpless in the hands of his enemies.
“After all,” said he,“ought not men to be merciful and kind to those who are in distress? I will do to Croesus as I would have others do to me.” And he caused Croesus to be given his freedom; and ever afterwards treated him as one of his most honored friends.
“The stubbornness of this man Croesus,” said King Cyrus, “has caused us much trouble and the loss of many good soldiers. Take him and make an example of him for other petty kings who may dare to stand in our way.”
Thereupon the soldiers seized Croesus and dragged him to the market place, handling him pretty roughly all the time. Then they built up a great pile of dry sticks and timber taken from the ruins of his once beautiful palace. When this was finished they tied the unhappy king in the midst of it, and one ran for a torch to set it on fire.
“Now we shall have a merry blaze,” said the savage fellows. “What good can all his wealth do him now?”
As poor Croesus, bruised and bleeding, lay upon the pyre without a friend to soothe his misery, he thought of the words which Solon had spoken to him years before: “No man can say whether you are happy or not until you die,” and he moaned, “O Solon! O Solon! O Solon!”
It so happened that Cyrus was riding by at that very moment and heard his moans. “What does he say?” he asked of the soldiers.
“He says, ‘Solon, Solon, Solon!’” answered one.
Then the king rode nearer and asked Croesus, “Why do you call on the name of Solon?”
Croesus was silent at first; but after Cyrus had repeated his question kindly, he told all about Solon’s visit at his palace and what he had said.
The story affected Cyrus deeply. He thought of the words,“No man knows what misfortunes may overtake you, or what misery may be yours in place of all this splendor.” And he wondered if some time he, too, would lose all his power and be helpless in the hands of his enemies.
“After all,” said he,“ought not men to be merciful and kind to those who are in distress? I will do to Croesus as I would have others do to me.” And he caused Croesus to be given his freedom; and ever afterwards treated him as one of his most honored friends.