There came to Sardis (when it was at the height of its prosperity) all the other wise men from Greece who happened to be living during that time, each on his own, and in particular Solon the Athenian, who, after making laws for the Athenians at their insistence, went abroad for ten years, sailing away on the pretext of seeing the world, but really so that he would not be forced to rescind any of the laws that he had made. For the Athenians themselves were not able to do it: they were bound (in advance) by solemn oaths for ten years to adhere to whatever laws Solon should establish.

For these reasons, therefore, and for seeing the sights, Solon left town and went to Egypt to the court of Amasis and more to the point to Sardis to Croesus’ court. When he arrived he was entertained hospitably in the royal palace by Croesus. Later, on the third or fourth day, at Croesus’ bidding servants escorted Solon around the treasure chambers and showed him how grand and splendid everything was. After he had seen and examined everything, when the time came, Croesus questioned him as follows: "My Athenian friend, much talk has come to us about you, because of your wisdom and your travels, that you have visited most of the world, seeking wisdom and seeing the sights. Now I’ve had a fancy to ask you if you have seen anyone who is the happiest of all." He asked this, of course, because he hoped that he would be the happiest of all mankind. But Solon suspected nothing and spoke the simple truth, "Yes, your majesty, Tellos an Athenian." Croesus was amazed at the answer and he interrogated him sharply, "In what way do you judge Tellos to be the happiest." And Solon replied, "First Tellos lived in a prosperous city and he had excellent children and he lived to see children born to them and all of them surviving. He continued to do very well, by our standards, and the end of his life was most glorious. There was a battle at Eleusis between the Athenians and their neighbors, and Tellos after fighting in it and participating in the rout of the enemy died heroically. Aand the Athenians buried him at public expense where he fell and honored him greatly."

When Solon aroused Croesus’ curiosity by telling him the many happy circumstances of Tellos’ life, Croesus asked him whom he had seen second after Tellos, expecting at least to carry off second prize. But Solon said "Cleobis and Biton. They were Argives and were well enough off and besides that they had astonishing physical strength. Both alike were champion athletes and in particular this story is told: the festival to Hera was being held at Argos and their mother had to be conveyed to the temple in a carriage. But their oxen did not come in time from the fields. There was no time to lose. The young men put on the yoke and themselves drew the wagon, with their mother riding on it. They drew it 45 stades to reach the temple. After they had done this and been seen by the whole gathering, the end of their life turned out perfectly and the god showed in their case how it is better for a human being to be dead than to be alive. For the Argive men standing around complimented the young men on their strength and the women congratulated their mother for having such children. Their mother was very happy both because of the deed and its fame. Standing in front of the statue she prayed that the goddess give to her two sons Cleobis and Biton, who had honored her greatly, the best thing that a human can achieve. After this prayer they sacrificed and feasted and the young men went to sleep in the temple and never woke up: this was the end of their lives. The Argives made statues of them and set them up in Delphi because of their valor."

Thus Solon gave the second place to them and Croesus said angrily, "My Athenian friend, is our prosperity so worthless that you make us not even a match for private citizens?" And he said, "Croesus, you ask me concerning human affairs when I know how envious are the gods and how baffling everything they do. In a long life there are many things to see that one does not want, and many things to suffer.

... You seem to me to be very wealthy and king over many people; but that which you ask me, I cannot yet say before I learn that you have ended your life well. For the very wealthy man is no happier than the one who has enough for his daily needs unless luck follows him so that he ends his life with all his goods intact.

... If besides all this he will end his life well this is the one you seek and he is worthy to be called happy. Hold off until he is dead and call him not happy, but lucky.