At last he spoke: "Verily, Croesus, I the great god, the 'sun of righteousness,' 'the son of Neith,' 'the lord of warlike glory,' as the Egyptians call me, am tempted to envy thee, dethroned and plundered as thou art.

I have been as happy as thou art now.

Once I was known through all Egypt, though only the poor son of a captain, for my light heart, happy temper, fun and high spirits.

The common soldiers would do anything for me, my superior officers could have found much fault, but in the mad Amasis, as they called me, all was overlooked, and among my equals, (the other under-officers) there could be no fun or merry-making unless I took a share in it.

My predecessor king Hophra sent us against Cyrene.