CANDAULES, the last king of Lydia, of the family of the Heraclides, was so proud of the beauty of his wife, that he had the folly to let Giges, his favourite, see her naked, while she was bathing. The queen, enraged at this action, which, according to the opinion of the Lydians, rendered her infamous, persuaded Giges to murder Candaules; after which she married him, about 716 years before the birth of Christ. In him began the race of the Mermades, which lasted till the defeat of Crefus.