Kirby Flower Smith was a scholar known for his works on Tibullus and Martial. In this essay, he reconstructs the old popular tale of Gyges which appears to have been current in the times of Herodotos and Plato. Gyges was a king of Lydia whose history varies wildly according to author. In this piece Prof. Smith does not intend to uncover the historical Gyges, but instead provides a survey of the varying accounts of his life as a way of exploring the various agendas of the authors themselves. A companion piece for those with an interest in Herodotos, and certainly a good example of the possibilities of comparative literature in historical topics.