ake　Democedes　to　see　his　wives；　which　they　did　accordingly；　telling　them　all　that　this　was　the　man　who　had　saved　the　king's　life。　Then　each　of　the　wives　dipped　with　a　saucer　into　a　chest　of　gold；　and　gave　so　bountifully　to　Democedes；　that　a　slave　named　Sciton；　who　followed　him；　and　picked　up　the　staters　which　fell　from　the　saucers；　gathered　together　a　great　heap　of　gold。　　　　　This　Democedes　left　his　country　and　became　attached　to　Polycrates　in　the　following　way：…　His　father；　who　dwelt　at　Crotona；　was　a　man　of　a　savage　temper；　and　treated　him　cruelly。　When；　therefore；　he　could　no　longer　bear　such　constant　ill…usage；　Democedes　left　his　home；　and　sailed　away　to　Egina。　There　he　set　up　in　business；　and　succeeded　the　first　year　in　surpassing　all　the　best…skilled　physicians　of　the　place；　notwithstanding　that　he　was　without　instruments；　and　had　with　him　none　of　the　appliances　needful　for　the　practice　of　his　art。　In　the　second　year　the　state　of　Egina　hired　his　services　at　the　price　of　a　talent；　in　the　third　the　Athenians　engaged　him　at　a　hundred　minae；　and　in　the　fourth　Polycrates　at　two　talents。　So　he　went　to　Samos；　and　there　took　up　his　abode。　It　was　in　no　small　measure　from　his　success　that　the　Crotoniats　came　to　be　reckoned　such　good　physicians；　for　about　this　period　the　physicians　of　Crotona　had　the　name　of　being　the　best；　and　those　of　Cyrene　the　second　best；　in　all　Greece。　The　Argives；　about　the　same　time；　were　thought　to　be　the　first　musicians　in　Greece。　　　　　After　Democedes　had　cured　Darius　at　Susa；　he　dwelt　there　in　a　large　house；　and　feasted　daily　at　the　king's　table；　nor　did　he　lack　anything　that　his　heart　desired；　excepting　liberty　to　return　to　his　country。　By　interceding　for　them　with　Darius；　he　saved　the　lives　of　the　Egyptian　physicians　who　had　had　the　care　of　the　king　before　he　came；　when　they　were　about　to　be　impaled　because　they　had　been　surpassed　by　a　Greek；　and　further；　he　succeeded　in　rescuing　an　Elean　soothsayer；　who　had　followed　the　fortunes　of　Polycrates；　and　was　lying　in　utter　neglect　among　his　slaves。　In　short　there　was　no　one　who　stood　so　high　as　Democedes　in　the　favour　of　the　king。　　　　　Moreover；　within　a　little　while　it　happened　that　Atossa；　the　daughter　of　Cyrus；　who　was　married　to　Darius；　had　a　boil　form　upon　her　breast；　which；　after　it　burst；　began　to　spread　and　increase。　Now　so　long　as　the　sore　was　of　no　great　size；　she　hid　it　through　shame　and　made　no　mention　of　it　to　any　one；　but　when　it　became　worse；　she　sent　at　last　for　Democedes；　and　showed　it　to　him。　Democedes　said　that　he　would　make　her　well；　but　she　must　first　promise　him　with　an　oath　that　if　he　cured　her　she　would　grant　him　whatever　request　he　might　prefer；　assuring　her　at　the　same　time　that　it　should　be　nothing　which　she　could　blush　to　hear。　　　　　On　these　terms　Democedes　applied　his　art；　and　soon　cured　the　abscess；　and　Atossa；　when　she　had　heard　his　request；　spake　thus　one　night　to　Darius：…　　　　　〃It　seemeth　to　me　strange；　my　lord；　that；　with　the　mighty　power　which　is　thine；　thou　sittest　idle；　and　neither　makest　any　conquest；　nor　advancest　the　power　of　the　Persians。　Methinks　that　one　who　is　so　young；　and　so　richly　endowed　with　wealth；　should　perform　some　noble　achievement　to　prove　to　the　Persians　that　it　is　a　man　who　governs　them。　Another　reason；　too；　should　urge　thee　to　attempt　some　enterprise。　Not　only　does　it　befit　thee　to　show　the　Persians　that　a　man　rules　them；　but　for　thy　own　peace　thou　shouldest　waste　their　strength　in　wars　lest　idleness　breed　revolt　against　thy　authority。　Now；　too；　whilst　thou　art　still　young；　thou　mayest　well　accomplish　some　exploit；　for　as　the　body　grows　in　strength　the　mind　too　ripens；　and　as　the　body　ages；　the　mind's　powers　decay；　till　at　last　it　becomes　dulled　to　everything。〃　　　　　So　spake　Atossa；　as　Democedes　had　instructed　her。　Darius　answered：…　〃Dear　lady；　thou　hast　uttered　the　very　thoughts　that　occupy　my　brain。　I　am　minded　to　construct　a　bridge　which　shall　join　our　continent　with　the　other；　and　so　carry　war　into　Scythia。　Yet　a　brief　space　and　all　will　be　accomplished　as　thou　desirest。〃　　　　　But　Atossa　rejoined：…　〃Look　now；　this　war　with　Scythia　were　best　reserved　awhile…　for　the　Scythians　may　be　conquered　at　any　time。　Prithee；　lead　me　thy　host　first　into　Greece。　I　long　to　be　served　by　some　of　those　Lacedaemonian　maids　of　whom　I　have　heard　so　much。　I　want　also　Argive；　and　Athenian；　and　Corinthian　women。　There　is　now　at　the　court　a　man　who　can　tell　thee　better　than　any　one　else　in　the　whole　world　whatever　thou　wouldst　know　concerning　Greece；　and　who　might　serve　thee　right　well　as　guide；　I　mean　him　who　performed　the　cure　on　thy　foot。〃　　　　　〃Dear　lady；〃　Darius　answered；　〃since　it　is　thy　wish　that　we　try　first　the　valour　of　the　Greeks；　it　were　best；　methinks；　before　marching　against　them；　to　send　some　Persians　to　spy　out　the　land；　they　may　go　in　company　with　the　man　thou　mentionest；　and　when　they　have　seen　and　learnt　all；　they　can　bring　us　back　a　full　report。　Then；　having　a　more　perfect　knowledge　of　them；　I　will　begin　the　war。〃　　　　　Darius；　having　so　spoke；　put　no　long　distance　between　the　word　and　the　deed；　but　as　soon　as　day　broke　he　summoned　to　his　presence　fifteen　Persians　of　note；　and　bade　them　take　Democedes　for　their　guide；　and　explore　the　sea…coasts　of　Greece。　Above　all；　they　were　to　be　sure　to　bring　Democedes　back　with　them；　and　not　suffer　him　to　run　away　and　escape。　After　he　had　given　these　orders；　Darius　sent　for　Democedes；　and　besought　him　to　serve　as　guide　to　the　Persians；　and　when　he　had　shown　them　the　whole　of　Greece　to　come　back　to　Persia。　He　should　take；　he　said；　all　the　valuables　he　possessed　as　presents　to　his　father　and　his　brothers；　and　he　should　receive　on　his　return　a　far　more　abundant　store。　Moreover；　the　king　added；　he　would　give　him；　as　his　contribution　towards　the　presents；　a　merchantship　laden　with　all　manner　of　precious　things；　which　should　accompany　him　on　his　voyage。　Now　I　do　not　believe　that　Darius；　when　he　made　these　promises；　had　any　guile　in　his　heart：　Democedes；　however；　who　suspected　that　the　king　spoke　to　try　him；　took　care　not　to　snatch　at　the　offers　with　any　haste；　but　said；　〃he　would　leave　his　own　goods　behind　to　enjoy　upon　his　return…　the　merchant…ship　which　the　king　proposed　to　grant　him　to　carry　gifts　to　his　brothers；　that　he　would　accept　at　the　king's　hands。〃　So　when　Darius　had　laid　his　orders　upon　Democedes；　he　sent　him　and　the　Persians　away　to　the　coast。　　　　　The　men　went　down　to　Phoenicia；　to　Sidon；　the　Phoenician　town；　where　straightway　they　fitted　out　two　triremes　and　a　trading…vessel；　which　they　loaded　with　all　manner　of　precious　merchandise；　and；　everything　being　now　ready；　they　set　sail　for　Greece。　When　they　had　made　the　land；　they　kept　along　the　shore　and　examined　it；　taking　notes　of　all　that　they　saw；　and　in　this　way　they　explored　the　greater　portion　of　the　country；　and　all　the　most　famous　regions；　until　at　last　they　reached　Tarentum　in　Italy。　There　Aristophilides；　king　of　the　Tarentines；　out　of　kindness　to　Democedes；　took　the　rudders　off　the　Median　ships；　and　detained　their　crews　as　spies。　Meanwhile　Democedes　escaped　to　Crotona；　his　native　city；　whereupon　Aristophilides　released　the　Persians　from　prison；　and　gave　their　rudders　back　to　them。　　　　　The　Persians　now　quitted　Tarentum；　and　sailed　to　Crotona　in　pursuit　of　Democedes；　they　found　him　in　the　market…place；　where　they　straightway　laid　violent　hands　on　him。　Some　of　the　Crotoniats；　who　greatly　feared　the　power　of　the　Persians；　were　willing　to　give　him　up；　but　others　resisted；　held　Democedes　fast；　and　even　struck　the　Persians　with　their　walking…sticks。　They；　on　their　part；　kept　crying　out；　〃Men　of　Crotona；　beware　what　you　do。　It　is　the　king's　runaway　slave　that　you　are　rescuing。　Think　you　Darius　will　tamely　submit　to　such　an　insult？　Think　you；　that　if　you　carry　off　the　man　from　us；　it　will　hereafter　go　well　with　you？　Will　you　not　rather　be　the　first　persons　on　whom　we　shall　make　war？　Will　not　your　city　be　the　first　we　shall　seek　to　lead　away　captive？〃　Thus　they　spake；　but　the　Crotoniats　did　not　heed　them；　they　rescued　Democedes；　and　seized　also　the　trading…ship　which　the　Persians　had　brought　with　them　from　Phoenicia。　Thus　robbed；　and　bereft　of　their　guide；　the　Persians　gave　up　all　hope　of　exploring　the　rest　of　Greece；　and　set　sail　for　Asia。　As　they　were　departing；　Democedes　sent　to　them　and　begged　they　would　inform　Darius　that　the　daughter　of　Milo　was　allianced　to　him　as　his　bride。　For　the　name　of　Milo　the　wrestler　was　in　high　repute　with　the　king。　My　belief　is；　that　Democedes　hastened　his　marriage　by　the　payment　of　a　large　sum　of　money　for　the　purpose　of　showing　Darius　that　he　was　a　man　of　mark　in　his　own　country。　　　　　The　Persians　weighed　anchor　and　left　Crotona；　but；　being　wrecked　on　the　coast　of　Iapygia；　were　made　slaves　by　the　inhabitants。　From　this　condition　they　were　rescued　by　Gillus；　a　banished　Tarentine；　who　ransomed　them　at　his　own　cost；　and　took　them　back　to　Darius。　Darius　offered　to　repay　this　service　by　granting　Gillus　whatever　boon　he　chose　to　ask；　whereupon　Gillus　told　the　king　of　his　misfortune；　and　begged　to　be　restored　to　his　country。　Fearing；　however；　that　he　might　bring　trouble　on　Greece　if　a　vast　armament　were　sent　to　Italy　on　his　account；　he　added　that　it　would　content　him　if　the　Cnidians　undertook　to　obtain　hi