§6.125.1οἱ δὲ Ἀλκμεωνίδαι ἦσαν μὲν καὶ τὰ ἀνέκαθεν λαμπροὶ ἐν τῇσι Ἀθήνῃσι, ἀπὸ δὲ Ἀλκμέωνος καὶ αὖτις Μεγακλέος ἐγένοντο καὶ κάρτα λαμπροί.
The Alcmaeonidae were illustrious in Athens even from of old, but from the time of Alcmaeon and later Megacles they became exceedingly illustrious.
§6.125.2τοῦτο μὲν γὰρ Ἀλκμέων ὁ Μεγακλέος τοῖσι ἐκ Σαρδίων Λυδοῖσι παρὰ Κροίσου ἀπικνεομένοισι ἐπὶ τὸ χρηστήριον τὸ ἐν Δελφοῖσι συμπρήκτωρ τε ἐγίνετο καὶ συνελάμβανε προθύμως, καί μιν Κροῖσος πυθόμενος τῶν Λυδῶν τῶν ἐς τὰ χρηστήρια φοιτεόντων ἑωυτὸν εὖ ποιέειν μεταπέμπεται ἐς Σάρδις, ἀπικόμενον δὲ δωρέεται χρυσῷ τὸν ἂν δύνηται τῷ ἑωυτοῦ σώματι ἐξενείκασθαι ἐσάπαξ.
For in the first place, Alcmaeon the son of Megacles became a helper to the Lydians from Sardis who came from Croesus to the oracle at Delphi, and assisted them eagerly; and Croesus, learning from the Lydians who frequented the oracles that Alcmaeon had done him a service, summoned him to Sardis, and upon his arrival presented him with as much gold as he could carry out at one time on his own person.
§6.125.3ὁ δὲ Ἀλκμέων πρὸς τὴν δωρεὴν ἐοῦσαν τοιαύτην τοιάδε ἐπιτηδεύσας προσέφερε· ἐνδὺς κιθῶνα μέγαν καὶ κόλπον βαθὺν καταλιπόμενος τοῦ κιθῶνος, κοθόρνους τε τοὺς εὕρισκε εὐρυτάτους ἐόντας ὑποδησάμενος, ἤιε ἐς τὸν θησαυρὸν ἐς τόν οἱ κατηγέοντο.
Alcmaeon, preparing himself as follows for a gift of this kind, applied himself to the task: having put on a large tunic and left a deep fold in it, and having shod himself with the widest boots he could find, he went into the treasury to which they guided him.
§6.125.4ἐσπεσὼν δὲ ἐς σωρὸν ψήγματος πρῶτα μὲν παρέσαξε παρὰ τὰς κνήμας τοῦ χρυσοῦ ὅσον ἐχώρεον οἱ κόθορνοι, μετὰ δὲ τὸν κόλπον πάντα πλησάμενος τοῦ χρυσοῦ καὶ ἐς τὰς τρίχας τῆς κεφαλῆς διαπάσας τοῦ ψήγματος καὶ ἄλλο λαβὼν ἐς τὸ στόμα, ἐξήιε ἐκ τοῦ θησαυροῦ ἕλκων μὲν μόγις τοὺς κοθόρνους, παντὶ δὲ τεῷ οἰκὼς μᾶλλον ἢ ἀνθρώπῳ· τοῦ τό τε στόμα ἐβέβυστο καὶ πάντα ἐξώγκωτο.
Falling upon a heap of gold dust, first he stuffed into his boots, around his shins, as much gold as they would hold; next, he filled his whole fold with gold, sprinkled some of the gold dust into the hair of his head, and took more into his mouth, and then came out of the treasury, barely dragging his boots, looking like anything rather than a human being; for his mouth was stuffed full and everything was bloated.
§6.125.5ἰδόντα δὲ τὸν Κροῖσον γέλως ἐσῆλθε, καί οἱ πάντα τε ἐκεῖνα διδοῖ καὶ πρὸς ἕτερα δωρέεται οὐκ ἐλάσσω ἐκείνων.
When Croesus saw him, laughter came upon him, and he not only gave him all that gold but also presented him with other gifts no less valuable than those.
οὕτω μὲν ἐπλούτησε ἡ οἰκίη αὕτη μεγάλως, καὶ ὁ Ἀλκμέων οὗτος οὕτω τεθριπποτροφήσας Ὀλυμπιάδα ἀναιρέεται.
Thus this house became exceedingly rich, and this Alcmaeon, keeping a four-horse chariot in this way, won a victory at the Olympic games.