2024-06-17-As_Rich_as_Croesus
00:00:00.000 | You're a podcast listener, and this is a podcast ad.
00:00:04.020 | Reach great listeners like yourself with podcast advertising from Lipsyn Ads.
00:00:08.100 | Choose from hundreds of top podcasts offering host endorsements.
00:00:11.360 | Or run a reproduced ad like this one across thousands of shows to reach your target audience
00:00:15.640 | with Lipsyn Ads.
00:00:16.980 | Go to LipsynAds.com now.
00:00:19.400 | That's L-I-B-S-Y-N-Ads.com.
00:00:23.220 | Some thousands of years ago, there lived in Asia a king whose name was Croesus.
00:00:28.840 | The country over which he ruled was not very large, but its people were prosperous and
00:00:34.740 | famed for their wealth.
00:00:36.680 | Croesus himself was said to be the richest man in the world, and so well known is his
00:00:43.020 | name that to this day it is not uncommon to say of a very wealthy person that he is as
00:00:49.400 | rich as Croesus.
00:00:52.660 | King Croesus had everything that could make him happy.
00:00:56.300 | Mansions and houses and slaves, fine clothing to wear, and beautiful things to look at.
00:01:02.440 | He could not think of anything that he needed to make him more comfortable or contented.
00:01:07.240 | "I am the happiest man in the world," he said.
00:01:11.440 | It happened one summer that a great man from across the sea was traveling in Asia.
00:01:16.340 | The name of this man was Solon, and he was the lawmaker of Athens in Greece.
00:01:22.880 | He was noted for his wisdom, and centuries after his death, the highest praise that could
00:01:28.600 | be given to a learned man was to say, "He is as wise as Solon."
00:01:35.160 | Solon had heard of Croesus, and so one day he visited him in his beautiful palace.
00:01:41.720 | Croesus was now happier and prouder than ever before, for the wisest man in the world was
00:01:46.440 | his guest.
00:01:47.860 | He led Solon through his palace and showed him the grand rooms, the fine carpets, the
00:01:52.720 | soft couches, the rich furniture, the pictures, the books.
00:01:56.940 | Then he invited him out to see his gardens and his orchards and his stables, and he showed
00:02:01.800 | him thousands of rare and beautiful things that he had collected from all parts of the
00:02:05.880 | world.
00:02:07.480 | In the evening, as the wisest of men and the richest of men were dining together, the king
00:02:13.200 | said to his guest, "Tell me now, O Solon, who do you think is the happiest of all men?"
00:02:20.920 | He expected that Solon would say, "Croesus."
00:02:25.800 | The wise man was silent for a minute, and then he said, "I have in mind a poor man
00:02:33.260 | who once lived in Athens, and whose name was Tellus.
00:02:37.080 | He, I doubt not, was the happiest of all men."
00:02:42.560 | This was not the answer that Croesus wanted.
00:02:46.240 | But he hid his disappointment and asked, "Why do you think so?"
00:02:51.560 | "Because," answered his guest, "Tellus was an honest man, who labored hard for many
00:02:58.240 | years to bring up his children and to give them a good education.
00:03:02.720 | And when they were grown and able to do for themselves, he joined the Athenian army and
00:03:07.400 | gave his life bravely in the defense of his country.
00:03:11.200 | Can you think of anyone who is more deserving of happiness?"
00:03:14.640 | "Perhaps not," answered Croesus, half choking with disappointment.
00:03:20.040 | "But who do you think ranks next to Tellus in happiness?"
00:03:24.560 | He was quite sure now that Solon would say, "Croesus."
00:03:29.200 | "I have in mind," said Solon, "two young men whom I knew in Greece.
00:03:35.860 | Their father died when they were mere children, and they were very poor, but they worked manfully
00:03:42.000 | to keep the house together and to support their mother, who was in feeble health.
00:03:47.680 | Year after year they toiled, nor thought of anything but their mother's comfort.
00:03:52.360 | When at length she died, they gave all their love to Athens, their native city, and nobly
00:03:58.280 | served her as long as they lived."
00:04:01.600 | Then Croesus was angry.
00:04:03.160 | "Why is it," he asked, "that you make me of no account and think that my wealth and
00:04:08.040 | power are nothing?
00:04:09.480 | Why is it that you place these poor working people above the richest king in the world?"
00:04:14.320 | "O king," said Solon, "no man can say whether you are happy or not until you die.
00:04:22.800 | For no man knows what misfortunes may overtake you, or what misery may be yours in place
00:04:29.240 | of all this splendor."
00:04:33.320 | Many years after this there arose in Asia a powerful king whose name was Cyrus.
00:04:39.900 | At the head of a great army he marched from one country to another, overthrowing many
00:04:44.320 | a kingdom and attaching it to his great empire of Babylon.
00:04:49.320 | King Croesus, with all his wealth, was not able to stand against this mighty warrior.
00:04:54.920 | He resisted as long as he could.
00:04:57.720 | Then his city was taken, his beautiful palace was burned, his orchards and gardens were
00:05:04.880 | destroyed, his treasures were carried away, and he himself was made prisoner.
00:05:11.000 | "The stubbornness of this man Croesus," said King Cyrus, "has caused us much trouble in
00:05:16.840 | the loss of many good soldiers.
00:05:19.060 | Take him and make an example of him for other petty kings who may dare to stand in our way."
00:05:25.880 | Thereupon the soldiers seized Croesus and dragged him to the marketplace, handling him
00:05:31.720 | pretty roughly all the time.
00:05:34.160 | Then they built up a great pile of dry sticks and timber taken from the ruins of his once
00:05:38.920 | beautiful palace.
00:05:41.100 | When this was finished, they tied the unhappy king in the midst of it, and one ran for a
00:05:45.640 | torch to set it on fire.
00:05:47.680 | "Now we shall have a merry blaze," said the savage fellows.
00:05:51.520 | "What good can all his wealth do him now?"
00:05:55.520 | This poor Croesus, bruised and bleeding, lay upon the pyre without a friend to soothe his
00:06:01.920 | misery.
00:06:03.000 | He thought of the words that Solon had spoken to him years before, "No man can say whether
00:06:09.320 | you are happy or not until you die," and he moaned, "Oh Solon, oh Solon, Solon."
00:06:21.640 | It so happened that Cyrus was riding by at that very moment and heard his moans.
00:06:26.680 | "What does he say?" he asked of the soldiers.
00:06:31.000 | He says, "Solon, Solon, Solon," answered one.
00:06:36.600 | Then the king rode nearer and asked Croesus, "Why do you call on the name of Solon?"
00:06:43.920 | Croesus was silent at first, but after Cyrus had repeated his question kindly, he told
00:06:50.620 | all about Solon's visit at his palace and what he had said.
00:06:55.800 | The story affected Cyrus deeply.
00:06:58.920 | He thought of the words, "No man knows what misfortunes may overtake you or what misery
00:07:05.840 | may be yours in place of all this splendor," and he wondered if sometime he too would lose
00:07:13.800 | all his power and be helpless in the hands of his enemies.
00:07:17.640 | "After all," said he, "ought not men to be merciful and kind to those who are in distress?
00:07:24.720 | I will do to Croesus as I would have others do to me."
00:07:28.920 | And he caused Croesus to be given his freedom and ever afterward treated him as one of his
00:07:34.260 | most honored friends.
00:07:36.520 | With Lego, every small brick adds up to endless hours of fun.
00:07:44.880 | And Walmart's low prices on Lego sets have high rewards.
00:07:48.480 | Lego unlocks your child's imagination while you hear...they hear...making lasting memories
00:07:57.240 | for everyone.
00:07:58.240 | "Thanks for the Lego set, Mom."
00:08:01.640 | Find Lego sets for under $30 at Walmart.
00:08:04.720 | Lego.
00:08:05.720 | Small toy.