author - "Herodotus"

had come into being firstof all men, contrived a device of the following kind:--Taking two new-born children belonging to persons of the common sort he gave them toa shepherd to bring up at the place where his flocks were, with amanner of bringing up such as I shall say, charging him namely that noman should utter any word in their presence, and that they should beplaced by themselves in a room where none might come, and at theproper time he should bring them she-goats, and when he had satisfiedthem with milk he should do for them whatever else was needed. Thesethings Psammetichos did and gave him this charge wishing to hear whatword the children would let break forth first after they had ceasedfrom wailings without sense. And accordingly it came to pass; forafter a space of two years had gone by, during which the shepherd wenton acting so, at length, when he opened the door and entered, bothchildren fell before him in entreaty and uttered the word /bekos/,stretching forth their hands. At firs