Demokedes reached
Croton, and finding him in the market-place they laid hands upon him;
and some of the men of Croton fearing the Persian power were willing to
let him go, but others took hold of him and struck with their staves at
the Persians, who pleaded for themselves in these words: "Men of Croton,
take care what ye are about: ye are rescuing a man who was a slave
of king Dareios and who ran away from him. How, think you, will king
Dareios be content to receive such an insult; and how shall this which
ye do be well for you, if ye take him away from us? Against what city,
think you, shall we make expedition sooner than against this, and what
city before this shall we endeavour to reduce to slavery?" Thus
saying they did not however persuade the men of Croton, but having
had Demokedes rescued from them and the ship of burden which they were
bringing with them taken away, they set sail to go back to Asia, and
did not endeavour to visit any more parts of Hellas or to find out about
them, being now deprived of their guide. This much however Demokedes
gave them as a charge when they were putting forth to sea, bidding them
say to Dareios that Demokedes was betrothed to the daughter of Milon:
for the wrestler Milon had a great name at the king's court; and I
suppose that Demokedes was urgent for this marriage, spending much
money to further it, in order that Dareios might see that he was held in
honour also in his own country.

138. The Persians however, after they had put out from Croton, were cast
away with their ships in Iapygia; and as they were remaining there as
slaves, Gillos a Tarentine exile rescued them and brought them back to
king Dareios. In return for this Dareios offered to give him whatsoever
thing he should desire; and Gillos chose that he might have the power of
returning to Taras, narrating first the story of his misfortune: and in
order that he might not disturb all Hellas, as would be the case if on
his account a great armament should sail to invade Italy, he said it was
enough for him that the men of Cnidos should be those who brought him
back, without any others; because he supposed that by these, who were
friends with the Tarentines, his return from exile would most easily be
effected. Dareios accordingly having promised proceeded to perform; for
he sent a message to Cnidos and bade them being back Gillos to Taras:
and the men of Cnidos obeyed Dareios, but nevertheless they did not
persuade the Tare