CHAP. I. GOLD AND SILVER IN GREECE, 17 



with extreme difficulty he staggered from the 

 place ; from his swelling mouth, and projections 

 all around him, resembling any thing rather 

 than a man. When Crossus saw him he burst into 

 laughter, and not only suffered him to carry away 

 all he had got, but added to it other presents 

 equally valuable. The family from this circum- 

 stance became exceedingly affluent, and Alcmaeon 

 was enabled to procure and maintain those horses 

 which gained him the victory in the Olympic 

 games." 



Whatever may have been the real wealth of 

 Croesus, it would appear that gold must have 

 been of very high value in Athens, when such a 

 load as an individual could carry about his per- 

 son in the way here described could be suffi- 

 cient to form the foundation of the fortunes of 

 one of the aristocratical families of that state. 



Pytheus, king of the petty territory of Celaena 

 in Phrygia, has been celebrated for his great 

 wealth. According to Herodotus, he was a na- 

 tive of Lydia ; but according to Pliny, of Bithynia ; 

 and it does not appear in what manner he be- 

 came possessed of the rich territory he ruled. 

 It is related of this man by Herodotus, that 

 " when Xerxes invaded Greece (about 470 years 

 before Christ), he entertained that monarch and 

 his whole army with great magnificence ; and 

 being asked the amount of his wealth, replied to 

 Xerxes, * I conceal nothing from you, and will 



VOL. r. c 



