A defeated king stands on top of a pyre. His conqueror, the Persian
ruler Cyrus, signals to his guards; they step forward and touch flaming
torches to the dry wood. Croesus, once the wealthiest man of the ancient
world, is to be burned alive. As he watches the flames catch, Croesus
thinks back over his life. He remembers the time he asked the old
Athenian philosopher, Solon, who was the happiest man in the world.
Croesus used to think it was him. But then all his riches could not
remove the spear from his dying elder son's chest, could not bring his
mute younger son to speak, could not make him as wise as his own chief
slave, could not bring his wife's love back, could not prevent his army
from being torn apart and his kingdom lost. As the old philosopher had
replied, a man's happiness can only be measured when he is dead. The
first coils of smoke wrap around Croesus' neck like a noose. This deeply
wise novel of what it means to be human is perfect for readers of Mary
Renault andDavid Malouf."