By Theseustoo

The king’s lightened mood had done the empire a lot of good, thought Sandanis, as he watched his master reading out the latest news from the oracle at Delphi. Feeling his empire threatened, Croesus immediately returned to work and, most energetically, he had quickly cleared up the huge backlog of official papers that were waiting to be signed and sealed; mostly referring to national projects, both military and civil, which could now go ahead, that had either stalled or been suspended while Croesus had wallowed in his grief.

But as he looked at Croesus now and saw the joy on his face as he burst triumphantly into the War Room, victoriously brandishing a pair of papyrus scrolls, Sandanis thought the melancholy Croesus of the past two years might have been a different man altogether.

“Well gentlemen?” the king began joyfully, unrolling one of the two scrolls, “What do you think of these latest oracles from Delphi? Listen to this,”

He began to read aloud from the scroll in a manner that clearly conveyed the evident amusement he felt about its contents; his voice was light-hearted and his manner droll as he read: “Wait till the time shall come when a mule is monarch of Media; Then, thou delicate Lydian, away to the pebbles of Hermus; Haste, oh! Haste thee away, nor blush to behave like a coward.”

Silently he waited for his officers’ reactions.

“Its mood certainly seems lighthearted your majesty…”  Sandanis responded cautiously, trying hard to share the king’s enthusiasm as he gave the monarch the benefit of his thoughts as they came to him:

“It describes your defeat, Majesty, but this can only be in jest, since it says it won’t happen until ‘a mule is monarch of Media’…” He laughed as the ridiculous image of a mule, braying loudly while seated on a throne and wearing a crown between its long ears, popped into his head, “That’s certainly an improbable event Sire; surely it can only mean that your kingdom will last forever?”

As he spoke he couldn’t help but be amazed at the extent to which the king’s mood had changed. Sandanis felt that there must surely be something more to this transformation than any natural good fortune. Surely, he thought, there must be something supernatural guiding Croesus, not only in this wonderful change in his mood and general demeanour, but also in the discovery of the only real oracles in the entire world.

“I agree your Majesty,” one the officers present chipped in, offering his support, “A mule is hardly likely ever to be made King of Media; what else could it mean but that your kingdom will last forever?”

“My own thoughts exactly!” Croesus crowed triumphantly, unable to disguise his enthusiasm, “And on top of this, as a result of the gift of two gold staters apiece that I gave to the people of Delphi, the Pythoness now grants us the right to precedence in our consultations, as well as the right to the most honourable seats at the festivals, exemption from all charges, and the perpetual right of becoming at our pleasure citizens of their town.”

The bestowing of such honours by the Pythoness, even on such a powerful king as Croesus, Sandanis knew, was unprecedented. But their meaning was rendered even more profound by the circumstances under which they were given.

Because their king had successfully discovered the only genuine oracles, Croesus’ generals all anticipated such great advantages that they agreed that it could only indicate the favour, if not the intervention of the gods themselves. And this in turn could only mean that the gods had quite evidently chosen Croesus of Lydia for their own special purpose.

Croesus had held a reputation as a holy man for a long time already; as both king and high priest, he had faithfully and diligently observed all the rituals which his exalted social position constantly demanded of him. Even in his grief, he had always given the gods their due; and was always more than generous in his frequent sacrifices and donations to all the temples, not just here in Lydia, but also everywhere he had contacts and did business. But was he really the Son of Heaven, Sandanis wondered to himself, as some of the lower ranks were already suggesting?

This was one question that Sandanis felt quite unqualified to answer; he distrusted such prophecies about the return to the world of ancient heroes, seeing in them little more than a salve for the hurt pride of the defeated. Yet he was also sure that if ever any mortal man could be said to deserve such an exalted title as ‘The Son of Heaven’, then it was Croesus. His king was generally regarded by all who knew him as a truly wise and holy man; and in the light of all these recent events, not only the king’s discovery of the only true oracles, but most particularly, the Pythoness’ reaction to that fact, it seemed to him as if even such an exalted title as this was indeed entirely warranted. Now Sandanis looked at Croesus with a new regard for him which closely approached awe, as he said, “Wonderful your majesty!” applauding these tangible results of his king’s wisdom enthusiastically, adding, “What better omen could we have been given than such friendship from the Pythoness herself? Now we must start to look for an ally among the strongest of the Greeks.”

“Indeed!” Croesus replied, “With omens like these I think we may start at once! Prepare your armies for an immediate assault on Persia’s tributaries in Cappadocia. Now Sandanis, which of the Greek states would you say is currently the most powerful?”

“Well, there’s Athens;” Sandanis replied doubtfully, “but they are experiencing severe difficulties under the tyranny of Pisistratos; Athens is presently divided into three factions; they are unlikely to be able to help.” After another moment’s thought, he said, “Currently the Lacedaemonians are by far the strongest of the Greek states.”

Croesus had already proven himself to be not only a great warrior and an irresistible conqueror, but also a wise and benevolent ruler; even to his subject states. This in turn had won him much support and loyalty even from the subject states of his empire; including the Greek states of Aeolia and Ionia. His reputation for wisdom had earned him not only much respect; it had even earned Croesus much wealth in the form of tribute and countless other gifts of rarities and treasures from all of his neighbouring states, whose rulers invariably admired his great wisdom and sought to ensure his continued goodwill towards them. Son of Heaven or not, it doesn’t matter, Sandanis decided; Croesus was a good master and a great king; he would follow Croesus to the very end; whatever that end might be.

“Very well, Sandanis,” Croesus said in determined tones, “We must persuade Lacedaemonia to help us! Scribe! Take down this message…”

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