Ἱστορίαι Ἡροδότου — ι’

Ὃ μὲν δὴ ὡς οὐκ ἐδύνατο διαφυγεῖν, ἦν ἕτοιμος· ὁ δὲ Κανδαύλης, ἐπεὶ ἐδόκεε ὥρη τῆς κοίτης εἶναι, ἤγαγε τὸν Γύγεα ἐς τὸ οἴκημα. καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα αὐτίκα παρῆν καὶ ἡ γυνή. ἐσελθοῦσαν δὲ καὶ τιθεῖσαν τὰ εἵματα ἐθηεῖτο ὁ Γύγης.

ὡς δὲ κατὰ νώτου ἐγένετο ἰούσης τῆς γυναικός ἐς τὴν κοίτην, ὑπεκδὺς ἐχώρεε ἔξω, καὶ ἡ γυνὴ ἐπορᾷ μιν ἐξιόντα. μαθοῦσὰ δὲ τὸ ποιηθέν ἐκ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς οὔτε ἀνέβωσε αἰσχυνθεῖσα οὔτε ἔδοξε μαθεῖν, ἐν νοῶ ἔχουσα τίσεσθαι τὸν Κανδαύλεα.

παρὰ γὰρ τοῖσι Λυδοῖσι, σχεδὸν δὲ καὶ παρὰ τοῖσι ἄλλοισι βαρβάροισι καὶ ἄνδρα ὀφθῆναι γυμνόν ἐς αἰσχύνην μεγάλην φέρει.

HO men dē hōs ouk edynato diaphygein, ēn hetoimos; ho de Kandaulēs, epei edokee hōrē tēs koitēs einai, ēgage ton Gygea es to oikēma. kai meta tauta autika parēn kai hē gynē. eselthousan de kai titheisan ta heimata ethēeito ho Gygēs.

hōs de kata nōtou egeneto iousēs tēs gynaikos es tēn koitēn, hypekdys echōree exō, kai hē gynē epora min exionta. mathousa de to poiēthen ek tou andros oute anebōse aischyntheisa oute edoxe mathein, en noō echousa tisesthai ton Kandaulea.

para gar toisi Lydoisi, schedon de kai para toisi alloisi barbaroisi kai andra ophthēnai gymnon es aischynēn megalēn pherei.

Because it was impossible for him to escape, he agreed to go along with it. Candaules, since he figured it was time to go to bed, lead Gyges into their bedroom; and shortly thereafter, his wife was present as well. After coming inside, she put her clothes onto the chair, and Gyges watched.

When the woman turned her back to Gyges to go to bed, he slipped out; and she saw him leave. Once she had found out what her husband had done, she did not cry out in shame nor let anyone know what she had seen; for her intention was to punish Candaules.

Because amongst the Lydians, — and, indeed, among the other barbarians, too — it is seen as a great disgrace to be seen naked, even as a man.