Key to Easy Latin Stories for beginners/Part II/II
II.THE STORY OF RHAMPSINITUS AND THE THIEF.
The Temple of Vulcan.
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.
The king’s treasure-house.
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 assigned, desiring the money, contrived as follows. He prepared one of the stones, which could easily be taken out of the wall by two or even by one man. When the building was completed, the king placed his riches in it.
Two robbers spoil the treasures.
96.But after some time had elapsed, the man who had built the building was near the end of his life. So having called his two sons to him he explained the artifice. He taught them clearly the look and measure of the stone. Accordingly when he was dead, his sons not long after set their hands to the work. Approaching the building by night, they removed the stone, and took out much money.
One of them is caught.
97.Afterwards the king opened the building, and saw the money greatly diminished; yet the seals of the door were safe and the building closed. Moreover, on opening it a second and third time, he saw less money from day to day. So he did as follows: he at once prepared snares, and set them round the vessels in which the money was. The thieves came as before: one of them, approaching a vessel, was straightway caught in the snare.
A plan to avoid detection.
98.But his brother cut off his brother’s head, and having again fitted the stone, went home, taking the head with him. In the morning, the king on entering the building was struck with amazement, having seen the body. of the thief (who had been) caught in the snare: for he saw the building uninjured, and no means of exit or entrance. Therefore, being in doubt, he did this. He hung the corpse of the thief on fiie wall and set guards (to watch it).
His brother carries off the body.
99.But his brother determined to carry off the corpse. Therefore he planned a trick of this kind. Having saddled (some) asses he placed on them wine skins full of wine, and drove them along the public road. Then, indeed, while passing by the place where the guards were, he secretly loosened two or three wine skins. When the wine began to flow out, he beat his head, uttering loud cries, as if thunderstruck at his loss. The guards, who saw much wine spilt, ran into the road, holding cups and collecting the wine as it flowed out. But he assailed them with abuse. But on the guards consoling him, his anger subsided by degrees. At length he drove his asses from the middle of the road, and began to load them again. Then while much conversation ensued, he gave them one of the wine skins. Then all sitting down, gave their mind to a drinking bout. Soon he presented them with another wine skin, and they using the drink in abundance became drunk, and being overwhelmed with drowsiness, fell asleep in the same place in which they had drank. Then, indeed, the night being now far advanced, he took down the body of his brother, and shaved the right cheeks of the guards for the sake of insult. Then he returned home with the asses, having placed the corpse on them.
The reward of audacity.
100.The deed was announced to the king, a thing which he at first took very ill; afterwards, however, being astonished both by the audacity and address of the man, he promised a pardon and great gifts. The thief, trusting the proclamation, came to the king, who induced by great admiration of the man, gave him his daughter in marriage.