Drama Unit Sample Quiz

Gyges and the Ring

By: Herodotus the Father of History

(though the jury is out on whether he deserves that title, much of his “history” is fictional)

                In the ancient Kingdom of Lydia there was a shepherd by the name of Gyges who toiled away the day tending to his master’s flock and dreaming of a life far better than the life of a simple herdsman. One day as he was herding his master’s flock over the rocky hills, the earth shook and split revealing a cave.

“For what reason would heaven choose to open up a cavern before my eyes.” he thought. “I am no miner nor prospector, but perhaps there is something in this.”

                Gyges ventured forth into the cave and soon came upon a room with a large dome ceiling. Scattered throughout the floor was the most splendid array of diamonds, jewels, gold nuggets and coins. A prince’s small fortune sealed for ages under the earth.

“Truly heaven has blessed me, in this I will be satisfied all the days of my life!” exclaimed Gyges. He gathered all he could in his cloak until the weight was almost too much to move. Before he left he spied a decayed skeleton in the far corner of the room. “This treasure’s previous master, no doubt.” Gyges examined his remains and saw all the clothes had rotted and left the corpse bare save for a single gold ring on the finger. Drawn to the ring, Gyges took it and left.

                In time Gyges had retrieved all the treasure from the cavern. He relished in the gold and jewels, but the ring was by far the most enchanting. Not long after taking it, Gyges discovered the ring had the ability to make invisible the person who wore it and rarely did he ever take the ring out of his pockets.

                Gyges bought a fine home in the Lydian capital and delighted himself with elaborate parties, elegant food, expensive strumpets, and eloquent arts and tapestries. Very soon Gyges’s luscious spending depleted his money and he was forced to sell all that he had to creditors.

“If only that cursed cave had more treasure, curse it for not giving me enough” mourned Gyges.

                Leaving the city, Gyges strutted around the great plains until he came across a foreign army set to invade Lydia. Discovery from the invader’s scouts would have surely resulted in death had Gyges not remembered the ring in time. Invisible, he not only eluded the scouts but also managed to see the extent of the entire invading army. He hurried back to the capital and spoke to the sentry.

“Call out the city guard and the king’s armies, invaders are coming” he declared. Soon enough the armies made ready and repressed the invaders.

“Who is it that gave the warning and thus saved my kingdom?” asked King Candaules.

“It was he, Gyges, the shepherd” spoke the sentry.

                The king was pleased and awarded Gyges with many honors, wealth, and even a position as an advisor. Years passed serving the king and Gyges spent his wealth luxuriously. But more importantly, his eye caught that of Queen Nyssia who was known as the most beautiful woman of all, and for good reason. Gyges greatly desired Nyssia and she desired to be rid of her husband. And so, the two plotted a plan.

                Using the ring to be unseen, Gyges slipped into Candaules’s bed chamber and slew him in his sleep. Gyges claimed the throne as his own and Nyssia supported as the wife to the new king.

“Now I shall be satisfied all the days of my life” thought Gyges.

Gyges’s taking of the throne resulted in a civil war. While Gyges’s side won, he did not live to see it and enjoy his new riches and wife because he died in battle. His son would later sit on the throne, a wiser and more satisfied ruler than his father before him.