Page:History of Greece Vol IV.djvu/275

DEMOKEDES IS SENT TO GEEECE. 25/ heard (she said) about the maidens of Sparta, Athens, Argos, and Corinth, and I want to have some of them as slaves to serve me (we may conceive the smile of triumph with which the sons of those whj had conquered at Plataea and Salamis would hear this part of the history read by Herodotus) ; you have near you the best person possible to give information about Greece, that Greek who cured your foot." Darius was in- duced by this request to send some confidential Persians into Greece to procure information, along with Demokedes. Select- ing fifteen of them, he ordered them to survey the coasts and cities of Greece, under guidance of Demokedes, but with per- emptory orders upon no account to let him escape or to return without him. He next sent for Demokedes himself, explained to him what he wanted, and enjoined him imperatively to return as soon as the business had been completed ; he farther desired him to carry away with him all the ample donations which he had already received, as presents to his father and brothers, promis- ing that on his return fresh donations of equal value should make up the loss : lastly, he directed that a storeship, " filled with all manner of good things," should accompany the voyage. Demokedes undertook the mission with every appearance of sin- cerity. The better to play his part, he declined to take away what he already possessed at Susa, saying, that he should like to find his property and furniture again on coming back, and that the storeship alone, with its contents, would be sufficient both for the voyage and for all necessary presents. Accordingly, he and the fifteen Persian envoys went down to Sidon in Phenicia, where two armed triremes were equipped, with a large storeship in company ; and the voyage of survey into Greece was commenced. They visited and examined all the principal places in Greece, probably beginning with the Asiatic and insular Greeks, crossing to Eubrea, circumnavigating Attica and Peloponnesus, then passing to Korkyra and Italy. They surveyed the coasts and cities, taking memoranda 1 of eveiy thing worthy of note which they saw : this Periplus, if it had been preserved, would have been inestimable, as an account 1 Herodot. iii, 136. npoaia^ovrtf 6e aiT^f T& rzpadaTidaaia a< uireypuQovTO VOL. IV. 170C.,