A Crotonian, Democedes by name, was found among the
slaves of Oroetes. Of his fame as a physician someone had heard and he
was called in to treat the dislocated ankle of King Darius. The wily
Greek, longing for his home, feared that if he confessed to a knowledge
of medicine there would be no chance of escape, but under threat of
torture he undertook a treatment which proved successful. Then Herodotus
tells his story--how, ill treated at home in Crotona, Democedes went to
AEgina, where he set up as a physician and in the second year the State
of AEgina hired his services at the price of a talent. In the third
year, the Athenians engaged him at 100 minae; and in the fourth,
Polycrates of Samos at two talents. Democedes shared the misfortunes of
Polycrates and was taken prisoner by Oroetes. Then Herodotus tells how
he cured Atossa, the daughter of Cyrus and wife of Darius, of a severe
abscess of the breast, but on condition that she help him to escape, and
she induced her husband to send an expedition of exploration to Greece
under the guidance of Democedes, but with the instructions at all
costs to bring back the much prized physician. From Tarentum, Democedes
escaped to his native city, but the Persians followed him, and it was
with the greatest difficulty that he escaped from their hands.
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