Offspring of Aëtion, he shall rule in famous Corinthos,
Kypselos, he and his sons, but his children's children no longer.'

Such was the oracle: and Kypselos when he became despot was a man of
this character,--many of the Corinthians he drove into exile, many he
deprived of their wealth, and very many more of their lives. (f) And
when he had reigned for thirty years and had brought his life to a
prosperous end, his son Periander became his successor in the
despotism. Now Periander at first was milder than his father; but
after he had had dealings through messengers with Thrasybulos the
despot of Miletos, he became far more murderous even than Kypselos.
For he sent a messenger to Thrasybulos and asked what settlement of
affairs was the safest for him to make, in order that he might best
govern his State: and Thrasybulos led forth the messenger who had come
from Periander out of the city, and entered into a field of growing
corn; and as he passed through the crop of corn, while inquiring and
asking questions repeatedly[86] of the messenger about the occasion of
his coming from Corinth, he kept cutting off the heads of those ears
of corn which he saw higher than the rest; and as he cut off their
heads he cast them away, until he had destroyed in this manner the
finest and richest part of the crop. So having passed through the
place and having suggested no word of counsel, he dismissed the
messenger. When the messenger returned to Corinth, Periander was
anxious to hear the counsel which had been given; but he said that
Thrasybulos had given him no counsel, and added that he wondered at
the deed of Periander in sending him to such a man, for the man was
out of his senses and a waster of his own goods,--relating at the same
time that which he had seen Thrasybulos do. (g) So Periander,
understanding that which had been done and perceiving that Thrasybulos
counselled him to put to death those who were eminent among his