Evening star., 1922-07-09
by ERNEST BRENNEcKE.

by ERNEST BRENNECKE.
A T. Sardis, the scene Of some Of
II the most thrilling events In
1 \ ancient history. a party of
American excavators has just
unearthed from an old tomb a price
less treasure-a clay pot. containing
thirty gold coins dating back to the
year 64s B. C. The coins, called
"staters," are specimens of the first
gold pieces ever minted, and repre-
sent part Of the wealth Of the ancient
King Croesus of Lydia. Fifteen Of
them are on their way to the Metro
politan Museum Of Art. New York.
News of the great find has just been
brought to the United States by DR..
T. Leslie Shear Of Columbia Univer-
sity, who was present at the dis
covery.
The American expedition, which
now hopes to unearth many even
more valuable relics Of glamorous
past civilization, is headed by Prof.
Howard Crosby Butler of Princeton
University, who is at this moment in
Constantinople, completing his ar
rangements with the Greek and Turk
| ish governments before following the
main body of excavators to the mass
Of steep hills, barren mounds and
tumbled ruins that mark the place
where several cities Of mystery and
ancient romance lie buried many feet
under ground.
Here, at Cards. in the midst OF the
red clay mountains Of Asia Minor.
whore DR.. Butler and his companions
began in 1909 to dig up barley field
above which projected two colossal
Ionic temple columns and where work
was interrupted by the outbreak OF
the war, lies buried the actual palace
of King Croesus. wealthiest monarch
of ancient times and last OF the
princes who held court at the brilliant
| capital Of Lydia.
!rROESUS came to the throne at the
~ age Of thirty Ave. and soon won
tremendous reputation for pride and
wealth. Tribute from neighboring
Kingdoms which he conquered swelled
his treasure houses. already bursting
with the bullion dredged from the
gold-bearing sands Of the Pactolus
river, which flowed near his city. His
cavalry, famous for its speed and
dashing courage, easily vanquished
| the armies of all the nations he set
out to conquer. LAS rich as Croesus'
! became proverbial designation
| which has lasted to the present day.
His court, by all accounts. presented
| to visitors from all over the ancient
| world visions of oriental splendor
! Among the visitors to Lydia was
| the aged Solon. law-giver OF Athens
and one of the seven sages" Of
Greece. "On his arrival" relates
Herodotus. "he was Hospitality enter
tained by Croesus. who conducted him
i round the treasury and showed him
all the grand and costly contents.
! When he had seen and examined
everything Croesus asked him: Ny
/ Athenian guest. who is the most
| happy man you have ever seen" He
asked this question because he
\ thought himself the most happy of
men.
But Solon. speaking the truth
freely, without any nattery. answered.
'Tellus the Athenian.' Croesus' as
tonished at his answer, asked him.
On what account do you deem Tellus
tho happiest?
He replied, Tellus, in the first
place, lived in a well-soverned COM
monwealth. had sons who were vir-
tuous and good. and he saw children
born to them all and all surviving.
| In the next place, when he had lived
! as happily as the condition of human
affairs will permit he ended his Ire
In a most glorious manner. For,
| coming to the assistance Of the Athe-
mans in battle, he put his enemy to
flight and died nobly.'
| Then Croesus. being enraged, said,
| My Athenian friend. is my happiness,
then, so sighted by you that you do
not think me Of as much value as a
humble private citizen? Whereupon
the philosopher answered. oh. Croe-
sus. YOU appear to me to be master OF
immense treasures and king OF many
nations, but as relates to what you
! inouire of me l cannot say until
hear that you have ended your life
happily For the richest OF men Is
not more happy than he who has q
sufficiency for the day. unless good
fortune attend him to the grave, so
that he ends his life In happiness
For the gods. having shown glimpse
Of happiness to many. have afterward
utterly overthrown them
when he spoke thus croesus dis
no,ssed him, since he considered him
a very ignorant man, because he over
looked present prosperity and oade
men look to the end of everything.
g A FTER the departure Of solon."
| "A concludes the ancient historian,
"the indignation Of the gods fell
heavy upon croesus. probably be-
cause he thought himself the most
happy Of men,"
Misfortune. indeed. soon began to
crowd in upon the unfortunate mon
arch, He had two sons. about both OF
| whom the oracles had indicated COM
inr disasters. The elder OF the two
had already been afflicted with dumb
ness. and the only consolation that
the gods would grant was the decla-
ration that he would regain his speech
on an evil day for the king.
OF the other, Atys, who surpassed
"a, ~. .....n, ~ his are in strength