Page:History of the Literature of Ancient Greece (Müller) 2ed.djvu/131

109 LITERATURE OF ANCIENT GREECE. 109 the Scythians, appeared at the time of Gyges in Asia Minor ; in the reign of Ardys (Olymp. 25, 3—37, 4 ; or 678—29 r.c.) they took Sardis, the capital of the Lydian kings, with the exception of the citadel, and then, under the command of Lygdamis, moved against Ionia; where in particular the temple of the Ephesian Artemis was threatened by them. Lygdamis perished in Cilicia. The tribe of the Treres, who appear to have followed the Cimmerians on their expedi- tion, captured Sardis for the second time in union with the Lycians, and destroyed Magnesia on the Maeander, which had hitherto been a flourishing city, and, with occasional reverses, had on the whole come off superior in its wars with the Ephesians. These Treres, however under their chieftain Cobus, were (according to Strabo) soon driven back by the Cimmerians under the guidance of Madys. Halyattes, the second successor of Ardys, at last succeeded in driving the Cimmerians out of the country, after they had so long occupied it. (Olymp. 40, 4 — 55, 1 ; 617 — 560 u.c.) Now the lifetime of Callinus stands in relation to these events thus : he mentioned the advance of the formidable Cim- merians and the destruction of Sardis by them, but described Magnesia as still flourishing and as victorious against Ephesus, although he also knew of the approach of the Treres*. In such perilous times, when the Ephesians were not only threatened with subjugation by their coun- trymen in Magnesia, but with a still worse fate from the Cimmerians and Treres, there was doubtless no lack of unwonted inducements for the exertion of every nerve. But the Ionians were already so softened by their long intercourse with the Lydians, a people accustomed to all the luxury of Asia, and by the delights of their beautiful country, that even on sucn an occasion as this they would not break through the in- dolence of their usual life of enjoyment. It is easy to see how deep and painful the emotion must have been with which Callinus thus addresses his countrymen: " How long will you lie in sloth? when will you, youths, show a courageous heart? are you not ashamed that the neighbouring nations should see you sunk in this lethargy ? You think indeed that you are living in peace ; but war overspreads the whole eartht" The fragment which begins with the expressions just cited, the only and Everything else stated in the text is taken from the precise accounts of Herodotus and Strabo. Pliny's story of the picture of Bularchus " Magnetum excidiurc being bought for an equal weight of gold by Candaules, the predecessor of Gyges, must be erroneous. Probably some other Lydian named Candaules is confounded with the old king. f Gaisford Poetae Minores, vol. i. p. 426-
 * Two fragments of Callinus prove this —