Editing Gyges of Lydia (section)

===Allegorical accounts of Gyges' rise to power===
[[Image:William Etty (1787–1849) – Candaules, King of Lydia, Shews his Wife by Stealth to Gyges, One of his Ministers, as She Goes to Bed – N00358 – Tate.jpg|thumb|''[[Candaules, King of Lydia, Shews his Wife by Stealth to Gyges, One of his Ministers, as She Goes to Bed]]'' by [[William Etty]].  This image illustrates [[Herodotus]]'s version of the tale of Gyges (as told by Herodotus, Gyges watched the naked queen secretly, but is seen by her as he is sneaking out of concealment). An earlier artistic treatment of the same subject, by [[Dosso Dossi]], is now in the [[Galleria Borghese]] [https://books.google.com/books?id=Ce2Fg7FIvFgC&pg=PA327]. ]]

Authors throughout ancient history have told differing stories of Gyges's rise to power, which considerably vary in detail, but virtually all involve him seizing the throne after killing the king, [[Candaules]], and marrying Candaules' widow.<ref>Her name is traditionally known as 'Nyssia', but this is not found in Herodotus. Apparently this name was supplied by the ancient historian [[Ptolemy Hephaestion]].</ref>

The main source for Gyges is Herodotus, whose account may be traced to the poet [[Archilochus of Paros]]. In this, Gyges was a [[bodyguard]] of Candaules, who believed his wife to be the most beautiful woman on Earth. He insisted upon Gyges seeing his wife disrobed and the betrayal so enraged her that she afterwards gave Gyges the choice of murdering her husband and making himself king or being put to death himself.{{sfn|Sayce|1911}}<ref>{{harvnb | Herodotus | 1975 | pp=44–45}}</ref>

Herodotus goes on to record how Gyges plied the Oracle of Delphi with numerous gifts, notably six mixing bowls minted of gold extracted from the [[Pactolus]] river weighing thirty [[Talent (measurement)|talents]]. The Oracle confirmed Gyges as the rightful king of Lydia and gave moral support to the Lydians in their conflict with the [[Ionians]]. The priestess nevertheless declared that the dynasty of Gyges would fall in the fifth generation. This prediction was later fulfilled when Gyges's fourth descendant, [[Croesus]], lost the kingdom as a result of attacking the [[Achaemenid Empire]] of [[Cyrus the Great]].<ref name="H46">{{harvnb | Herodotus | 1975 | p=46}}</ref>

In [[Plato]]'s ''[[The Republic (Plato)|Republic]]'', Gyges was a shepherd who discovered a [[Ring of Gyges|magic ring]] of invisibility, by means of which he murdered the king and won the affection of the queen.{{sfn|Sayce|1911}}<ref name="P46">{{harvnb | Plato | 1987 | pp=46–47}}</ref>

[[Nicolaus of Damascus]] supplies his own version of the story that is quite different from both Herodotus and Plato. It involves a multi-[[generational curse]] by an old King Ardys of Lydia, because his trusted advisor Dascylus was murdered by Ardys’ son named Sadyattes (or Adyattes). This Sadyattes was envious of Dascylus's growing power. The murderers were never discovered, so King Ardys issued a curse upon them.<ref>JOHN R. PORTER, [https://ugp.rug.nl/AN/article/download/24338/21788/ Nicolaus Reads Euphiletus: A Note on the Nachleben of Lysias 1.] Ancient Narrative, Volume 3 (2003), 82–87</ref> Dascylus's wife, being then pregnant, escapes to Phrygia (her home), and gives birth to a son, also named Dascylus. Later this Dascylus has a son Gyges who, as a young man arrives to Lydia and is recognized by the king for his outstanding abilities. He is appointed to the royal bodyguard. Gyges soon became a favourite of Candaules and was dispatched by him to fetch Tudo, the daughter of Arnossus of [[Mysia]], whom the Lydian king wished to make his queen. On the way, Gyges fell in love with Tudo, who complained to Sadyates of his conduct. Forewarned that the king intended to kill him, Gyges assassinated Candaules in the night and seized the throne.<ref>Max Duncker, [https://books.google.com/books?id=hyoZAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA419 The History of Antiquity], Volume 3. R. Bentley & son, 1879. pp. 419ff</ref>

According to [[Plutarch]], Gyges seized power with the help of Arselis of [[Milas|Mylasa]], the captain of the Lydian bodyguard, whom he won over to his cause.{{sfn|Sayce|1911}}<ref>Debra Hamel, [https://books.google.com/books?id=iaQYE2Gge7MC&pg=PA12 Reading Herodotus: A Guided Tour Through the Wild Boars, Dancing Suitors, and Crazy Tyrants of 'The History'.] JHU Press, 2012. p. 12</ref>