Gygès

see also: Etymology of Gygès

Gygès (in Greek old Γύγης / Gýgês ), wire of Mermnas, was the king of Lydie of 708 {{avjc}} with 680 {{avjc}} (or 670 {{avjc}}).

It extended its empire at the expense of the Greek cities of the coasts of the Asia Mineure, attacked Milet and Smyrna, seized Colophon, and exerted its power on the Troade.

The conditions under which Gygès arrived at the capacity differ according to the sources.

According to Hérodote, the tyrant Candaule, descendant of Héraclès, did not cease praising the beauty of its wife to her Gygès confidant, who was the son of one of his guards. Thinking that Gygès doubted the charms of the queen, Candaule orders to him to show any possible sound it naked. Gygès, which is estimated unworthy of this proposal, refuses. The king manages to reassure it and Gygès finally agrees to hide in the royal room at the time when the queen strips herself, but this one realizes some. It decides anything then to let appear and prepares its revenge against the king whom it holds for the author of this insult. The following day, she convenes Gygès and a market proposes to him: either he assassinates Candaule to obtain his hand and the throne of Lydie, or he is carried out. Gygès then chooses to stab the king and seizes the throne of Sardes.

In the version brought back by Plato, Gygès (or its ancestor of the same name) was a simple shepherd of Lydie. He made feed his herd when a subsidence was formed after a violent one storm. It ventured and discovered there enormous a Cheval of Bronze in the sides of which doors were practiced. After having opened these doors, Gygès saw inside the horse the skeleton of a Géant carrying to the finger a Anneau of Or. It took this ring, happened it to the finger, and, without saying a word of its adventure, it went to join the other shepherds of the vicinity. He noticed whereas, each time he turned his rings towards the interior, he became invisible for all, while keeping faculty to see and hear what occurred around him. As soon as it turned over the ring in the other direction, it became again visible. After having confirmed the capacities of its ring by several experiments, it went to the palate and allured the queen. He plotted with her the death of the king, killed it and seized the throne.

Sources

(I, 7-14).
(II, 360).

Random links: