§1.95.1μετὰ δὲ τοῦτον προσελθεῖν λέγουσι τοῖς νόμοις Ἄμασιν τὸν βασιλέα, ὃν ἱστοροῦσι τὰ περὶ τοὺς νομάρχας διατάξαι καὶ τὰ περὶ τὴν σύμπασαν οἰκονομίαν τῆς Αἰγύπτου.
After him, they say that King Amasis applied himself to the laws, and they relate that he regulated matters concerning the nomarchs and organized the entire administration of Egypt.
παραδέδοται δὲ συνετός τε γεγονέναι καθʼ ὑπερβολὴν καὶ τὸν τρόπον ἐπιεικὴς καὶ δίκαιος· ὧν ἕνεκα καὶ τοὺς Αἰγυπτίους αὐτῷ περιτεθεικέναι τὴν ἀρχὴν οὐκ ὄντι γένους βασιλικοῦ.
It is handed down that he was exceedingly intelligent and gentle and just in character; for which reasons the Egyptians conferred the royal power upon him, even though he was not of royal descent.
§1.95.2φασὶ δὲ καὶ τοὺς Ἠλείους, σπουδάζοντας περὶ τὸν Ὀλυμπικὸν ἀγῶνα, πρεσβευτὰς ἀποστεῖλαι πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐρωτήσοντας πῶς ἂν γένοιτο δικαιότατος· τὸν δʼ εἰπεῖν, ἐὰν μηδεὶς Ἠλεῖος ἀγωνίζηται. §1.95.3Πολυκράτους δὲ τοῦ Σαμίων δυνάστου συντεθειμένου πρὸς αὐτὸν φιλίαν, καὶ βιαίως προσφερομένου τοῖς τε πολίταις καὶ τοῖς εἰς Σάμον καταπλέουσι ξένοις, τὸ μὲν πρῶτον λέγεται πρεσβευτὰς ἀποστείλαντα παρακαλεῖν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὴν μετριότητα·
And they say that the Eleans also, being very enthusiastic about the Olympic games, sent ambassadors to him to ask how they could make them most just; and he replied, "If no Elean competes." When Polycrates, the ruler of the Samians, had contracted a friendship with him, and was acting violently toward both his citizens and the foreigners who sailed into Samos, at first it is said that Amasis sent ambassadors to exhort him to moderation.
οὐ προσέχοντος δʼ αὐτοῦ τοῖς λόγοις ἐπιστολὴν γράψαι τὴν φιλίαν καὶ τὴν ξενίαν τὴν πρὸς αὐτὸν διαλυόμενον· οὐ γὰρ βούλεσθαι λυπηθῆναι συντόμως ἑαυτόν, ἀκριβῶς εἰδότα διότι πλησίον ἐστὶν αὐτῷ τὸ κακῶς παθεῖν οὕτω προεστηκότι τῆς τυραννίδος.
But since Polycrates paid no attention to his words, Amasis wrote a letter dissolving their friendship and ties of hospitality; for he did not wish soon to be grieved himself, knowing precisely that misfortune was near for one who was so leading a tyranny.
θαυμασθῆναι δʼ αὐτόν φασι παρὰ τοῖς Ἕλλησι διά τε τὴν ἐπιείκειαν καὶ διὰ τὸ τῷ Πολυκράτει ταχέως ἀποβῆναι τὰ ῥηθέντα.
And they say that Amasis was admired among the Greeks both for his gentleness and because the things spoken quickly turned out so for Polycrates.
§1.95.4ἕκτον δὲ λέγεται τὸν Ξέρξου πατέρα Δαρεῖον τοῖς νόμοις ἐπιστῆναι τοῖς τῶν Αἰγυπτίων· μισήσαντα γὰρ τὴν παρανομίαν τὴν εἰς τὰ κατʼ Αἴγυπτον ἱερὰ γενομένην ὑπὸ Καμβύσου τοῦ προβασιλεύσαντος ζηλῶσαι βίον ἐπιεικῆ καὶ φιλόθεον.
Sixth, it is said that Darius, the father of Xerxes, applied himself to the laws of the Egyptians; for, detesting the lawlessness committed against the temples in Egypt by Cambyses, the previous king, he was zealous to imitate a gentle and god-fearing life.
§1.95.5ὁμιλῆσαι μὲν γὰρ αὐτοῖς τοῖς ἱερεῦσι τοῖς ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ καὶ μεταλαβεῖν αὐτὸν τῆς τε θεολογίας καὶ τῶν ἐν ταῖς ἱεραῖς βίβλοις ἀναγεγραμμένων πράξεων· ἐκ δὲ τούτων ἱστορήσαντα τήν τε μεγαλοψυχίαν τῶν ἀρχαίων βασιλέων καὶ τὴν εἰς τοὺς ἀρχομένους εὔνοιαν μιμήσασθαι τὸν ἐκείνων βίον, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο τηλικαύτης τυχεῖν τιμῆς ὥσθʼ ὑπὸ τῶν Αἰγυπτίων ζῶντα μὲν θεὸν προσαγορεύεσθαι μόνον τῶν ἁπάντων βασιλέων, τελευτήσαντα δὲ τιμῶν τυχεῖν ἴσων τοῖς τὸ παλαιὸν νομιμώτατα βασιλεύσασι κατʼ Αἴγυπτον.
For he associated with the priests themselves in Egypt and partook of both their theology and the deeds recorded in their sacred books; and having learned from these the magnanimity of the ancient kings and their goodwill toward their subjects, he imitated their life, and because of this he obtained such great honor that while living he was addressed as a god by the Egyptians, alone of all the kings, and after his death he obtained honors equal to those who in ancient times had ruled Egypt in the most lawful manner.
§1.95.6τὴν μὲν οὖν κοινὴν νομοθεσίαν συντελεσθῆναί φασιν ὑπὸ τῶν εἰρημένων ἀνδρῶν, καὶ δόξης τυχεῖν τῆς διαδεδομένης παρὰ τοῖς ἄλλοις· ἐν δὲ τοῖς ὕστερον χρόνοις πολλὰ τῶν καλῶς ἔχειν δοκούντων νομίμων φασὶ κινηθῆναι, Μακεδόνων ἐπικρατησάντων καὶ καταλυσάντων εἰς τέλος τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν ἐγχωρίων.
Now they say that the general legislation was completed by the aforementioned men, and obtained the reputation widely circulated among other nations; but in later times, they say that many of the customs which seemed to be excellent were altered, when the Macedonians prevailed and finally abolished the kingship of the natives.