L Y D I A. 821 
fus, he attacked, under various pretences, the Ionians and 
AJolians, obliging them, and all the other Greek Hates of 
Alia, to pay him a yearly tribute. 
Crcefus continued in this profperous and happy Hate, 
till the conquefts of Cyrus, and growing power of the 
Perlians, began to give him uneafinefs. He apprehended 
that the fuccefs which attended Cyrus in all his under¬ 
takings, might at laft prove dangerous to himfelf; and 
therefore refolved to put a Hop, if poflible, to his progrefs. 
In taking this refolution, which might probably be at¬ 
tended with the moH important confequences, he was de- 
Hrous to learn the will of heaven concerning the iiTue of 
the war. The principal oracles which he confulted were 
thofe of Branchis in Ionia, of Ammon in Libya, and of 
Delphi in Greece. Among tbefe refpefted Hirines, the 
oracle of Delphi maintained its afeendant, as the mofl 
faithful interpreter of fate. Crcefus was fully perfuaded 
of its veracity ; and,defirous generoufly to compenfate for 
the trouble which Ire had already given, and Hill meant to 
give, the priefls of Apollo, he facriliced three thoufand 
oxen to the god, and adorned his fhrine with dedications 
equally valuable for the workmanfliip and for the mate¬ 
rials ; precious veffels of filver, ewers of iron beautifully 
inlaid and enamelled ; various ornaments of pure gold, 
particularly a golden lion weighing ten talents, and a fe¬ 
male figure three cubits or near five feet high. In return 
for theie magnificent prefents, the oracle, in ambiguous 
language, flattered Crcefus with obtaining an eafy vitlory 
over his enemies, and with enjoying a long life and a pro¬ 
fperous reign. The god at the fame time enjoined him to 
contrail an alliance with the mofl powerful of the Grecian 
Hates. Elevated with thefe favourable predictions of 
Apollo, Crcefus prepared to yield a ready obedience to the 
only condition required on his part for the accomplifii- 
ment of his afpiring purpofe. Not deeming himfelf fuffi- 
ciently acquainted with the affairs of Greece, to know 
what particular republic was meant by the oracle, he made 
particular inquiry of thofe belt informed concerning the 
Hate of Europe ; and difeovered that, among all the mem¬ 
bers of the Grecian confederacy, the Athenians and La¬ 
cedemonians werejuHly entitled to the pre-eminence. In 
order to learn which of thefe communities deferved the 
epithet of mofl powerful, it was neceffary to fend ambaffa- 
dors into Greece. The Lydians difpatched with this im¬ 
portant commiflion, loon difeovered that the Athenians, 
after having been long haraffed by internal diffenfions, were 
actually governed by the tyrant PifiHratus. The Spartans, 
on the other hand, though anciently the worH regulated 
of all the Grecian communities, had enjoyed domeftic 
peace and foreign profperity ever fince they had adopted 
the wife inflitutions of Lycurgus. After that memorable 
period, they had repeatedly conquered the warlike Ar- 
gives; triumphed over the hardy Arcadians; and, notwith- 
itanding the heroic exploits of AriHomenes, fubdued and 
enllaved their unfortunate rivals of Meffene. To the Ly¬ 
dian ambaffadors, therefore, the Spartan republic appeared 
to be pointed out by the oracle as the community whofe 
alliance they were enjoined to folicit. Having repaired 
accordingly to Sparta, they were introduced not only to 
the kings and fenate, but, as the importance of the nego¬ 
tiation required, to the general affembly of'the Lacede¬ 
monians, to whom they., in few words, declared the ob¬ 
ject of their'commiflion : “ We are fent, O Lacedemo¬ 
nians ! by Crcefus, king of the Lydians and of many other 
•nations, who, being commanded by the oracle of Apollo 
to feek the friendfhip of the moll powerful people of 
Greece, now fumnaons you, who jultly merit that epithet, 
to become his faithful allies, in obedience to the will of 
the god whofe authority you acknowledge.” The Lace¬ 
demonians, pleated with the alliance of a warlike king, 
and Hill more with the fame of their valour, readily ac¬ 
cepted the propofal. To the flriflf connexion of an offen- 
live and defenfive league, they joined the more refpedted 
ties of facred hofpitality. A few years before this tranfac- 
tion, they had fent to puj&chafe gold at Sardis for making 
Von. XIII. No. 947. 
a Hatue of Apollo. Crcefus had on that occafion gratui- 
toufly fupplied their want. Remembering this generofity, 
they gave the Lydian ambaffadors at their departure, as 
a prelent for their maHer, a veffel of brafs, containing 
three hundred anaphoras (above twelve hogflieads), and 
beautifully carved on the outfide with various forms of 
animals. Crcefus, having thus happily accomplilhed the 
defign recommended by the oracle, was eager to fet out 
upon his intended expedition. He had formerly entered 
into alliance with Amafis king of Egypt, and Labynetus 
king of Babylon. He had now obtained the friendfhip 
of the moH warlike nation of Europe. The newly-raifed 
power of Cyrus and the Perfians feemed incapable of re- 
fifting fuch a formidable confederacy. 
Elevated with thefe flattering ideas of his own invinci¬ 
ble greatnefs, Crcefus waited not to attack the Perfian do¬ 
minions until he had collected the Hrength of his allies. 
The fanguine iinpetuofity of his temper, unexperienced in 
adverfity, unfortunately precipitated him into meafures no 
lefs ruinous than daring. Attended only by the arms of 
Lydia, and a numerous band of mercenaries, whom his 
immenfe wealth enabled him at any time to call into his 
fervice, he marched towards the river Halys ; here he was 
deceived by an oracle; (fee Crcesus, vol. v. p. 372.) and, 
having croffed with much difficulty that deep and broad- 
ffream, entered the province of Cappadocia, which formed 
the weffern frontier of the Median dominions. That un¬ 
fortunate country foon experienced all the calamities of 
invafion. The Pterian plain, the molt beautiful and the 
mofl: fertile difirift of Cappadocia, was laid wafte; the 
ports of the Euxine, as well as feveral inland cities, were 
plundered ; and the inoffenfive inhabitants were either 
put to the fword or dragged into captivity. Encouraged 
by the unrefiffing foftnefs of the natives of thofe parts, 
Crcefus was eager to puffi forwards ; and, if Cyrus did not 
previoufly meet him in the field, he had determined to 
proceed in triumph to the mountains of Perfia. Againff. 
this dangerous refolution he was in vain exhorted by a 
Lydian, named Sandanis,; who, when aiked his opinion 
of the war, declared it with that freedom which the princes 
of the eaff have in every age permitted, amidfi all the pride 
and caprices of defpotic power, to men diffinguifhed by 
the gifts of nature or education. “ You are preparing, 
O king, to march againff a people who lead a laborious 
and a miferable life ; whofe daily fubfiftence is often de¬ 
nied them, and is always fcanty and precarious; who 
drink only water, and who are clothed with the fkins of 
wild beads. What can the Lydians gain by the conqueff 
of Perfia; they who enjoy all the advantages of which the 
Perfians are deffitute ? For my part, I deem it a blefling 
of the gods, that they have not excited the warlike po¬ 
verty of thefe miferable barbarians to invade and plunder 
the luxurious wealth of Lydia.” The moderation of this 
advice was rejected by the fatal prefumption of Crcefus; 
who, confounding the dictates of experienced wifdom 
with the mean fuggeftions of pufillanimity, difmiffed the 
counfellor with contempt. 
Meanwhile, the approach of Cyrus, who was not of a 
temper to permit his dominions to be ravaged with im¬ 
punity, afforded the Lydian king an opportunity of bring¬ 
ing the war to a more fpeedy iffue than by his intended 
expedition into Perfia. The army of Cyrus gradually 
augmented on his.march : the tributary princes cheerfully 
contributing with their united ffrength towards the afiiff- 
ance of a maHer whofe valour and generofity they ad¬ 
mired, and who now took arms to protect the fafety of 
his fubjeCts, as well as to fupport the grandeur of his 
throne. Such was the rapidity of his movement, efpe- 
cially after being informed of the deHructive ravages" of 
the enemy in Cappadocia, that he arrived from the fliores 
of the Cafpian to thofe of the Euxine fea, before tlffe army 
of Crcefus had provided the neceflaries for their journey. 
That prince, when apprifed of the neighbourhood of the 
Perfians, encamped on the Pterian plain; Cyrus likewife 
encamped at no great difiance ; frequent ikinniflies hap- 
$ S pened 
