Nyssia

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Paul Barends·amateur historian 4h ago amateur historian Who was the first laughing stock in history?

The story of Candaules, King of Lydia, (c. 700 BC) as passed on by historian Herodotus, certainly made him look foolish.

The Greeks were comfortable with nudity, but the Lydians were notorious prudes.

“Now, for the Lydians and for most non-Greeks,” comments Herodotus, “even for a man to be seen naked is a matter of great shame.”

Candaules was so proud of his wife that he just had to show her off to someone. He asked his bodyguard Gyges to take a peek while she undressed. The queen however noticed him, and was infuriated. She offered Gyges two options. Either he kills Candaules, and marries her; or she will have her soldiers kill him.

Gyges chose to become the new king. The people didn’t accept this at first, but when the Delphi Oracle was consulted, and gave the green light, it all ended happily.

Except for Candaules of course.

Candaules, King of Lydia, Shews his Wife by Stealth to Gyges, One of his Ministers, as She Goes to Bed by William Etty.

Added by Janet Milburn 10/23/20

Herodotus – Candaules, his wife and Gyges

Candaules, King of Lydia, Shews his Wife by Stealth to Gyges, One of his Ministers, as She Goes to Bed by William Etty. This image illustrates Herodotus's version of the tale of Gyges. According to The Histories of Herodotus,[4] Candaules bragged of his wife's incredible beauty to his favorite bodyguard, Gyges of Lydia. "It appears you don't believe me when I tell you how lovely my wife is," said the King. "A man always believes his eyes better than his ears; so do as I tell you—contrive to see her naked."[5]

Gyges refused; he did not wish to dishonor Nyssia, the Queen, by seeing her nude body.[6] He also feared what the King might do to him if he did accept.

Candaules was insistent, and Gyges had no choice but to obey. The King detailed a plan by which Gyges would hide behind a door in the royal bedroom to observe Nyssia disrobing before bed. Gyges would then leave the room while the Queen's back was turned.

That night, the plan was executed. However, the Queen saw Gyges as he left the room, and recognized immediately that she had been betrayed and shamed by her own husband. She silently swore to have her revenge, and began to arrange her own plan.

The next day, the Queen summoned Gyges to her chamber. Although Gyges thought nothing of the routine request, she confronted him immediately with her knowledge of his misdeed and her husband's. "One of you must die," Nyssia declared. "Either my husband, the author of this wicked plot; or you, who have outraged propriety by seeing me naked."

Gyges pleaded with the Queen not to force him to make this choice. She was relentless, and eventually he chose to betray the King so that he should live.

The Queen prepared for Gyges to kill Candaules by the same manner in which she was shamed. Gyges hid behind the door of the bedroom chamber with a knife provided by the Queen, and killed him in his sleep. Gyges married the Queen and became King, and father to the Mermnad Dynasty.

For Plato's and other versions (some considerably different) of the story, and for various modern treatments of the theme, see the Gyges of Lydia page.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candaules