27.03.27: Level 1-2 (review): Julia (a Latin Reader) [11] (1)

CȲRUS (1)

Ōlim in Lȳdiā rēgnābat rēx, Croesus nōmine, inter omnēs gentēs propter dīvitiās nōtus. Lȳdia Asiae regiō erat, Persiae fīnitima. Nec procul, trāns mare Aegaeum, Graecī incolēbant. Deōs Graecōs adōrābat Croesus, et saepe ad ōrāculum Delphicum dōna pretiōsissima mittēbat; aurum argentumque aliāsque rēs pretiōsissimās mittēbat, nam omnium rēgum erat dīvitissimus.

Itaque Graecī Croesum amābant, et saepe viātōrēs ad Lȳdiae ōram nāvigābant. Inter viātōrēs forte Solōn, vir sapientissimus, ad Croesī hospitium vēnit. Sapientior erat quam omnēs patriae suae cīvēs. Ubi dīvitiās Croesī et omnēs rēs pulcherrimās laudāvit, tum Croesus, "Ō hospes," inquit, "nōnne mē omnium hominum beātissimum vocās? Nōnne ego beātior sum quam omnēs patriae tuae cīvēs?"

Sed Solōn, "Ō Croese," respondit, "Hodiē sine dubiō beātus es; ōlim tamen fortasse cūrae gravissimae tē vexābunt. Nēminem, adhūc vīvum, beātum vocō.

Croesus, -ī [2/m]: Croesus, king of Lydia

Cyrus, -ī [2/m]: Cyrus, king of Persia

Lydia, -ae [1/f]: Lydia, a district of Asia Minor

Persia, -ae [1/f]: Persia

Solon, -onis [3/m]: Solon, an Athenian

[i]

argentum, -ī [2/n]: silver

aurum, -ī [2/n]: gold

cūra, -ae [1/f]: care

dīvitiae, -ārum [1/f pl.]: riches

viātor, -ōris [3/m]: traveller

[ii]

beātus, -a, -um: happy, prosperous

gravis, -e: heavy, grievous

sapiēns, -entis: wise

vīvus, -a, -um: alive, living

[iii]

respondeō, -ēre [2]: reply

vexō, -āre [1]: trouble, harass

[iv]

quam: than, how

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Once upon a time in Lydia there ruled a king named Croesus, known among all nations because of his wealth. Lydia was a region of Asia bordering on Persia. Not far away, across the Aegean Sea, the Greeks lived. Croesus worshipped the Greek gods, and often sent very valuable gifts to the Delphic oracle; he sent gold and silver and other very valuable things, for he was the richest of all kings.

Therefore the Greeks were fond of Croesus, and travellers often sailed to the coast of Lydia. Among these travellers, by chance, came Solon, a very wise man, to the house of Croesus. He was wiser than all the citizens of his own country. When he had praised the wealth of Croesus and all his beautiful possessions, Croesus then said:

"O guest, do you not call me the happiest of all men? Am I not happier than all the citizens of your country?"

But Solon replied:

"O Croesus, today you are undoubtedly happy; one day, however, very serious troubles may perhaps afflict you. I call no one happy while he is still alive."