The sun was eclipsed, either totally or at any rate considerably, so that the attention of the two armies was attracted to it; and, discontinuing the fight, they stood to gaze at the phenomenon.

In most parts of the East such an occurrence is even now seen with dread--the ignorant mass believe that the orb of day is actually being devoured or destroyed, and that the end of all things is at hand--even the chiefs, who may have some notion that the phenomenon is a recurrent one, do not understand its cause, and participate in the alarm of their followers.

On the present occasion it is said that, amid the general fear, a desire for reconciliation seized both armies.

Of this spontaneous movement two chiefs, the foremost of the allies on either side, took advantage.
Syennesis, king of Cilicia, the first known monarch of his name, on the part of Lydia, and a prince whom Herodotus calls "Labynetus of Babylon"-- probably either Nabopolassar or Nebuchadnezzar--on the part of Media, came forward to propose an immediate armistice; and, when the proposal was accepted on either side, proceeded to the more difficult task of arranging terms of peace between the contending parties.

Since nothing is said of the Scythians, who had been put forward as the ostensible grounds of quarrel, we may presume that Alyattes retained them.