Page:Key to Easy Latin Stories for beginners.djvu/35

  my advice, do as follows. Throw away that thing which is of the greatest value to you.’ Having read this through, Polycrates oheyed the advice of his friend. He had a ring, which he used to wear, set in gold, made of emerald, the work of Theodorus, a celehrated artisan. He embarked on board a vessel, and having drawn the ring from his hand, threw it overboard into the sea, in the sight of all who were in the ship. After doing this, he sailed home. But on the fifth or sixth day after an event of the following kind happened. A certain fisherman gave to the king a great fish which he had caught. Now the servants, who were cooking the fish, find in its belly the ring of Polycrates.

93.Then the king sent a letter about the occurrence to Amasis, in Egypt. But Amasis, having read the letter, was greatly disturbed. Therefore, having sent a herald to Samos, he renounced the friendship which he had with Polycrates, fearing the anger of the gods. But Polycrates, a short while after, is slain by Oroetes, satrap of Lydia, and his body is hung on a gallows. Thus he atoned for his excessive prosperity by death. 

94.Rhampsinitus succeeded Proteus on the throne of Egypt; and he left as a memorial of himself the vestibule of the temple of Vulcan, facing the west. Opposite to the vestibule he placed two statues, twenty-five cubits in height: of these the Egyptians call the one which faces the north, Summer; the other, which faces the south, Winter: and they worship and propitiate with gifts the one which they call Summer; they do the opposite towards the one which is called Winter.

95.This king had great riches, and an immense quantity of silver. So, desiring to put his money in a place of safety, he had a house of stone built. He, to whom the work was 