whether the citizens of Elis were allowed to compete. The Eleans answered promptly that the lists were open to any and every Greek. Then the king said:
“It is not well, for it is impossible that you should favour one of your own citizens. Therefore, if you wish to make your games perfect, no Elean must take part in them.”
“Which took them down a peg or two, I suppose?” said Harry.
“I have no more to tell thee of Psammis; and after him came Apries, who was dispossessed of his throne by Amasis, one of his subjects, of whom I can tell thee a story. This Amasis was at first looked down upon by his people, because he was not of royal blood. So Amasis did a clever thing. He took a golden foot-bath, in which he and his guests used to wash their feet. Then he broke it up, melted it down, and made of it an image of one of the gods. Then he placed it in the centre of the city, and all the people bowed down to it. Amasis smiled, and called all the people together.
“‘This image,’ he said, ‘was made of a foot-bath, which you accounted of little value, but which now you bow down to. Likewise, I was but a private person, but now I am a king, and it is meet that you should do me honour.’
“The people were so pleased at this that they at once went over to his side.”
“Was he a good king?” asked Harry.
“Yes,” said Herodotus, “but men found fault with him because, when his duties of State were finished, he was wont to jest and drink and feast with his friends. Indeed, some said to him that it was scarce kingly, whereupon Amasis replied:
“‘The archers do not keep their bows ever tightly strung; they slacken them when their work is finished. Likewise a king cannot for ever devote himself to heavy work, or he would lose his spirit. Thus do I divide my time between business and pleasure.’
“But, though this was well enough, it is said that before Amasis was king it was his chief delight to drink and feast, and, indeed, to such an extent that when his purse failed, he used to rob people. If he were caught and he denied having stolen, his accusers used to drag him before the oracle, which would sometimes say ‘Guilty,’ at other times ‘Not guilty.’ When he came to the throne he gave high power to those oracles which had convicted him when guilty, but he would have nothing to do with those which had proved incorrect.”
