wo armed triremes and
a large store-ship were got ready by their orders. In these they sailed
to the coast of Greece, which they fully surveyed, and even went as far
as Italy. The cities were also visited, and the story of all they had
seen was carefully written down.

At length they arrived at Tarentum, in Italy, not far from Crotona, the
native place of Democedes. Here, at the secret suggestion of the wily
surgeon, the king seized the Persians as spies, and, to prevent their
escape, took away the rudders of their ships. Their treacherous leader
took the opportunity to make his way to Crotona, and here the Persians,
who had been released and given back their ships, found him on their
arrival. They seized him in the market-place, but he was rescued from
them by his fellow-citizens in spite of the remonstrances and threats of
the envoys. The Crotonians even took from them the store-ship, and
forced them to leave the harbor in their triremes.

On their way home the unlucky envoys suffered a second misfortune; they
were shipwrecked and made slaves,--as was the cruel way of dealing with
unfortunates in those days. An exile from Tarentum, named Gillis, paid
their ransom, and took them to Susa,--for which service Darius offered
him any reward he chose to ask. Like Democedes, all he wanted was to go
home. But this reward he did not obtain. Darius brought to bear on
Tarentum all the influence he could wield, but in vain. The Tarentines
were obdurate, and would not have their exile back again. And Gillis was
more honorable than Democedes. He did not lay plans to bring a Persian
invasion upon Greece through his selfish wish to get back to his native
land.

A few words more will tell all else we know about Democedes. His last
words to his Persian companions bade them tell Darius that he was about
to marry the daughter of Milo of Crotona, famed as the greatest wrestler
of his time. Darius knew well the reputation of Milo. He had probably
learned it from Democedes himself. And a Persian king was more likely to
admire a muscular than a mental giant. Milo meant more to him than Homer
or any hero of the pen. Democedes did marry Milo's daughter, paying a
high price for the honor, for the sole purpose, so far as we know, of
sending back this boastful message to his friend, the king. And thus
ends all we know of the story of the surgeon of Crotona.

_DARIUS AND THE SCYTHIANS._

The conquest of Asia Minor by Cyrus and his Pers