covery.--The golden fetters.--Democedes
released.--Honors conferred on him.--Atossa cured by Democedes.--His
conditions.--Atossa with Darius.--She suggests the invasion of
Greece.--The exploring party.--Democedes appointed guide.--Designs of
Democedes.--Darius baffled.--The expedition sets out.--City of
Sidon.--The sea voyage.--The Grecian coasts examined.--Arrival at
Tarentum.--Suspicions of the authorities.--The Persians seized.--Escape
of Democedes.--Release of the Persians.--Tumult at Crotona.--Conduct
of Democedes.--The expedition returns.--Misfortunes.--Cillus.--Arrival
at Susa.--Reception by Darius.

The great event in the history of Darius--the one, in fact, on account
of which it was, mainly, that his name and his career have been so
widely celebrated among mankind, was an attempt which he made, on a
very magnificent scale, for the invasion and conquest of Greece.
Before commencing active operations in this grand undertaking, he sent
a reconnoitering party to examine and explore the ground. This
reconnoitering party met with a variety of extraordinary adventures in
the course of its progress, and the history of it will accordingly
form the subject of this chapter.

The guide to this celebrated reconnoitering party was a certain Greek
physician named Democedes. Though Democedes was called a Greek, he
was, really, an Italian by birth. His native town was Crotona, which
may be found exactly at the ball of the foot on the map of Italy. It
was by a very singular series of adventures that he passed from this
remote village in the west, over thousands of miles by land and sea,
to Susa, Darius's capital. He began by running away from his father
while he was still a boy. He said that he was driven to this step by
the intolerable strictness and cruelty of his father's government.
This, however, is always the pretext of turbulent and ungovernable
young men, who abandon their parents and their homes when the favors
and the protection necessary during their long and helpless infancy
have been all received, and the time is beginning to arrive for making
some return.

Democedes was ingenious and cunning, and fond of roving adventure. In
running away from home, he embarked on board a ship, as such
characters generally do at the present day, and went to sea. After
meeting with various adventures, he established himself in the island
of AEgina, in the AEgean sea, where he began to practice as a physician,
though he had had