[Herodotus on the adventurous career of the famous Greek physician Democédes].

In the latter half of the sixth century BC the physician Democédes left Croton, a Greek settlement in Southern Italy, in order to practice and gain an income and perhaps fame. He first arrived in the island of Aigina, where he soon became very famous and was offered a substantial fee for serving the inhabitants of the island. He then moved to Athens and after a year he became physician to the tyrant Polykrátes of Samos. When the tyrant was murdered, he was enslaved by the new ruler, but he too was killed. Finally Democédes fell into the hands of the Persian king, Dareios the first, still fettered as the other slaves. When the king sprained his ancle seriously, his Egyptian court doctors were helpless. Someone knew that Democédes was a skillful physician, so he was sent for and appeared in chains and rags. After having cured the king he was very generously rewarded. Democédes only wanted to go back to Hellas, but the king would not let him. Later Democ,des cured the favourite wife of the king, Atossa, of an abscess of the breast. Democédes persuaded her to encourage the king to send a scouting expedition including Democédes to Greece in order to prepare for war. Democédes managed to escape from the ship and after some further troubles he succeeded to remain in his native town of Croton. The story contains many folkloristic motives and is certainly not historically correct. But it is well known that young Greek doctors often travelled around as Democédes did and that Greek doctors came to replace their Egyptian colleagues at the courts of the local rulers. Herodotus wrote down the adventures of Democédes about one hundred years after they may have taken place, and this simple fact probably accounts for some of the dramatic details of the story. The tale of Democédes illustrates the interests of Herodotus and of Hippocrates too in foreign people and the reasons why the Greek of the fifth century were so successful compared to others. Here Democédes triumphs over his Egyptian colleagues and he escapes from his Persian guards when back in Italy. But Democédes also shows virtues worthy of a true Hippocratic doctor. He saves his Egyptian colleagues from being crucified, applies a gentle treatment curing the king's strained ancle, promises the queen not to reveal anything about her ailment, and points out that he will not ask for an indecent reward for curing her of the abscess.