A noble Gentleman of Athens called Solon, by th’ appointement of the Athenians, made lawes for that citie, and because none of the same lawes shoulde be abrogated, for the space of tenne yeares, hee bounde the Citizens by othe. And that the same mighte the better be obserued; he himselfe traueyled into farre countries, as into Egipt to visite king Hamasis, and so to Sardis to kinge Cræsus, where he was liberallie intertayned. This Cræsus was king of Lydia, sonne of Haliattes, that brought to subiection great countries in Asia and Græcia, and gathered together an innumerable masse of moneye and riches. Who three or foure dayes after the arriuall of Solon (which was led aboute by his seruauntes, to viewe his notable wealth and substaunce) said vnto Solon these wordes. “My frende of Athens, because thy famous wysedome is well knowen to the worlde, and I haue heard tell of the excellencie therof, and of the greatnes of thy trauaile, where thou hast attaigned to the singuler knowledge of Philosophie; I desire to learne of thee (now hauing seene my great treasures) who is the happiest man and most blessed, that thou knowest in this world.” Thinking he would haue iudged him to be the same. But Solon made aunswere, that, “Tellus was the happiest; who was an Athenien, and had vertuous and honest sonnes, and they likewise had honest children, all which were that time liuing. And when by the space of many yeares he had ledde a vertuous and godly life, he died an honourable death in the warres which the Athenians had with theyr neighbours, at the battaile of Eleusina. Wher he was indued with sumptuous funerals, to his great honour and prayse.” Then Cræsus asked him: “Who was happie next Tellus;” thinking hee would haue attributed to him the second place. “Forsoth (quoth he) that is Cleobis and Bito, which were Argiues, and liued a contented life. And in all pastimes to proue force and maisterie, they bare away the prise and victorie. And of them these thinges be remembred; when the feastfull day of Iuppiter was celebrated amonges the Argiues; their mother should be caried to the Temple in a Chariot, drawen with a yoke of Oxen, which were not come out of the countrie at the appointed time. The yonge men seinge that the hower was come, entred into the yoke themselues, and drewe the chariotte the space of XLV. stades to the Temple. After this acte seene of all the people there, th’ende of their life was such, as certainly God gaue to vnderstand by them, that better it is to die, then liue. For the Argiues that were assembled about Bito and Cleobis, with shoutes and acclamations, praised the good willes of those children, and the women themselues said, ‘That happie was the mother, which brought forth such lineage.’ Their mother then ioyfull for that fact, and of the reputation of her sonnes, kneeled downe before the Image of Iuno, humbly beseechinge her to giue her sonnes the thinge that were best for a man to attaine vnto.