rags and with chains on his ankles. When asked whether he knew anything about medicine he denied such knowledge, being fearful that the discovery of the truth about himself would stand in the way of his ever getting back to Greece. Darius, perceiving that he was dissimulating, ordered the attendants to fetch the whips and pinchers. Whereupon Democedes made up his mind that he had better confess the truth. He accordingly told the king that, while not possessing a thorough knowledge of the healing art, long association with a physician had familiarized him more or less with the subject. The king then asked him to take charge of the case. Democedes, following the treatment adopted by the Greek physicians in similar conditions, applied soothing remedies and soon succeeded in procuring sleep for the suffering king. Eventually he obtained a complete cure, and Darius, who had made up his mind that he would never again be able to use his limb, was naturally delighted with the result. He loaded Democedes with gifts, and, being charmed with his conversation, made him sit at the royal table and did everything possible to render court life attractive; but liberty was denied him, which was the one thing that Democedes most ardently desired. The only use which the latter made of the great influence which he had obtained over Darius was to save the Egyptian physicians from the death by crucifixion which the king had decided to inflict upon them for their lack of skill.
The means of escape finally presented themselves to Democedes in a most unexpected manner. Atossa, who was the wife of Darius and also the daughter of Cyrus, was afflicted with a swelling of the breast which developed into an abscess and began to burrow into the neighboring tissues. After, for a time, concealing the trouble through a sense of false modesty, she made up her mind to consult Democedes. He had the good fortune to cure her of this malady in a relatively short time. As preparations were then being made to send a number of spies to Greece with instructions to examine the coast carefully for the purpose of determining at what points the defenses were sufficiently weak to render an attack by the Persians reasonably sure of success, Democedes asked permission of Darius to accompany these men as their guide. His request was granted; and, as soon as the expedition reached Tarentum in Calabria, he delivered the Persian spies into the hands of Aristophilides, the king of that country, and then fled in all haste to Crotona, his native city. Shortly afterward these Persians, having been set at liberty by Aristophilides, made the
