Murderer of Candaules
Friday, August 18, 2006
Murderer of Candaules
"...This Candaules had become passionately in love with his own wife; and having become so, he deemed that his wife was fairer by far than all other women. To Gyges, the son of Daskylus (for he of all his spearmen was the most pleasing to him), he used to describe the beauty of his wife, praising it above all measure.
He said to Gyges: 'Gyges, I think that you do not believe me when I tell you of the beauty of my wife, for it happens that men's ears are less apt of belief than their eyes. Contrive therefore means by which you may look upon her naked.'
'I believe indeed that she is of all women the fairest and I entreat you not to ask of me that which it is not lawful of me to do.' But the King answered him thus: 'Be of good courage, Gyges, and have no fear, either of me, that I am saying rhse words to try you, or of my wife, lest any harm may happen to you from her. For I will contrive it so from the first that she shall not perceive that she has been seen by you.'
'I will place you in the room where we sleep, behind the open door; and after I have gone in, my wife will also come to lie down. Now there is a seat near the entrance of the room and on this she lays her garments as she takes them off one by one and so you will be able to gaze at her at full leisure.'
The next day the wife calls in Gyges ad gives him two choices.
'There are now two ways open to you, and I will give you the choice which of the two you will prefer to take. Either you must slay Candaules and possess both me and the Kingdom of Lydia, or you must yourself here on the spot be slain, so that you mayest not in future, by obeying Candaules in all things, see that which you should not. Either he must die who formed this design, or you who have looked upon me naked.'..."
--- from "The Histories" by Herodotus
"...This Candaules had become passionately in love with his own wife; and having become so, he deemed that his wife was fairer by far than all other women. To Gyges, the son of Daskylus (for he of all his spearmen was the most pleasing to him), he used to describe the beauty of his wife, praising it above all measure.
He said to Gyges: 'Gyges, I think that you do not believe me when I tell you of the beauty of my wife, for it happens that men's ears are less apt of belief than their eyes. Contrive therefore means by which you may look upon her naked.'
'I believe indeed that she is of all women the fairest and I entreat you not to ask of me that which it is not lawful of me to do.' But the King answered him thus: 'Be of good courage, Gyges, and have no fear, either of me, that I am saying rhse words to try you, or of my wife, lest any harm may happen to you from her. For I will contrive it so from the first that she shall not perceive that she has been seen by you.'
'I will place you in the room where we sleep, behind the open door; and after I have gone in, my wife will also come to lie down. Now there is a seat near the entrance of the room and on this she lays her garments as she takes them off one by one and so you will be able to gaze at her at full leisure.'
The next day the wife calls in Gyges ad gives him two choices.
'There are now two ways open to you, and I will give you the choice which of the two you will prefer to take. Either you must slay Candaules and possess both me and the Kingdom of Lydia, or you must yourself here on the spot be slain, so that you mayest not in future, by obeying Candaules in all things, see that which you should not. Either he must die who formed this design, or you who have looked upon me naked.'..."
--- from "The Histories" by Herodotus
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