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[1]
Darius asked him when he was brought in if he were trained in medicine. He refused to admit it, for he was afraid that if he revealed himself he would be cut off from Greece [22,39] (nation), Europe Hellas for good.
Darius asked him when he was brought in if he were trained in medicine. He refused to admit it, for he was afraid that if he revealed himself he would be cut off from Greece [22,39] (nation), Europe Hellas for good.
[2] It was clear to
Darius, however, that he was trained in deceit,
1
and he ordered those who had brought him to bring along scourges and goads. Then he confessed, saying that his training was not exact, but that he had associated with a physician and had a passing acquaintance with medicine.
[3] But when
Darius turned the case over to him and
Democedes applied
Greek remedies and used gentleness instead of the
Egyptians' violence, he enabled him to sleep and in a short time had him well, although
Darius had had no hope of regaining the use of his foot.
[4] After this,
Darius rewarded him with a gift of two pairs of golden fetters. “Is it your purpose,”
Democedes asked, “to double my pains for making you well?” Pleased by the retort,
Darius sent him to his own wives. The eunuchs who conducted him told the women that this was the man who had given the king his life back.
[5] Each of them took a bowl and dipped it in a chest full of gold, so richly rewarding
Democedes that the servant accompanying him, whose name was
Sciton, collected a very great sum of gold by picking up the staters that fell from the bowls.
Histories. Herodotus. ed. A.D. Godley. Cambridge. 1920-1925.
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