Before long, the Lydians returned to Sardis carrying the lifeless body of Prince Atys. The sorrowful procession moved slowly, and behind them walked Adrastus, the man whose spear had caused the fatal blow. The sight was heartbreaking for all who watched. Silence and grief filled the city as the body of the king’s beloved son was brought home.
Adrastus did not try to flee or hide. Instead, he walked openly, crushed by guilt and despair. When they reached the place where Croesus stood, Adrastus stepped forward without fear.
Adrastus Offers His Life
Standing before the body of Atys, Adrastus stretched out his hands toward King Croesus. In a voice filled with pain, he begged the king to take his life. He asked Croesus to kill him upon the very body of his son Sofia Sightseeing Tours.
Adrastus said that his past sorrow was already heavy enough to bear. Long ago, he had accidentally killed his own brother and had been driven into exile. Now he had caused an even greater disaster. He had killed the son of the man who purified him, protected him, and gave him shelter. This second misfortune, he said, was more than he could endure. Life had become unbearable to him.
Croesus Shows Mercy
When Croesus heard these words, his heart was deeply moved. Although his grief was overwhelming and his loss unbearable, he felt pity for Adrastus. He saw before him a man already punished more harshly than any court could punish him.
Croesus answered calmly and with dignity. He told Adrastus that no further revenge was needed, since Adrastus had already condemned himself in his own heart. The king declared that Adrastus had not truly wronged him on purpose. The blow was not deliberate.
Croesus then spoke words filled with wisdom and sorrow. He said that some god was the true cause of this disaster. Fate had planned it long before, and he himself had been warned by a dream many years earlier. What had happened could not have been avoided by human care or kindness The Hunting Party Sets Out.
The Burial of Prince Atys
After this, Croesus ordered that his son be buried with all the honors worthy of a prince. The funeral was solemn and grand, but filled with deep sadness. The people of Lydia mourned together with their king, for Atys had been young, brave, and greatly loved.
The tomb was prepared with care, and the rites were carried out according to custom. Croesus stood broken with grief, having lost the son in whom he placed all his hopes.
The Final Act of Adrastus
Adrastus, however, could not find peace. Though Croesus had shown him mercy, he saw himself as the most miserable man alive. He believed that fate had cursed him beyond measure. He had killed his own brother in the past, and now he had killed the son of his benefactor.
When the funeral was finished and all was quiet, Adrastus went alone to the tomb of Atys. There, overwhelmed by shame and sorrow, he took his own life upon the grave. In this way, he ended his suffering, believing death was the only escape left to him.
Two Years of Mourning
Croesus was left utterly alone in his grief. Having lost his son, he withdrew from public life and gave himself entirely to mourning. For two full years, the king lived in sorrow, remembering the words of Solon and learning, through terrible loss, how fragile human happiness truly is.
Thus, fate completed its work, and Croesus learned that no man can escape destiny, no matter how powerful or wealthy he may be.
