The Twitter Herodotus

3.121 Others say it's because Polycrates once snubbed a messenger Oroetes had sent.

3.122 Oroetes sent a messenger to Polycrates offering him $$$ if he got Oroetes safely away. (He claimed the king was plotting against him.)

3.123 Polycrates sent his secretary, Maeandrius, to see if Oroetes' $$$ was good. O. prepared 8 chests for inspection--stones topped w/gold.

3.124 Polycrates opted to meet Oroetes, tho many opposed it, e.g., his daughter, who dreamt he was hanging aloft in the air, washed by Zeus.

3.125 Oroetes met & killed Polycrates, in a horrible fashion, & crucified him, fulfilling the daughter's dream. He kept Polycrates' slaves.

3.126 So Polycrates died, as Amasis of Egypt had foreseen. And Oroetes did further bad stuff, including killing a messenger sent by Darius.

3.127 Darius had had enough & decided to get rid of him. He didn't want to send an army. Instead he summoned a bunch of would-be assassins.

3.128 Bagaeus was chosen by lot to do it. He went to Oroetes' place at Sardis w/dispatches from the king and got O's bodyguards to kill him.

3.129 A bit later Darius hurt his ankle jumping off a horse. His doctors were useless. After 7 days Oroetes' slave Democedes was brought in.

3.130 At 1st Democedes denied being a doctor, worried D. would keep him forever. Finally he confessed, cured Darius, & was rewarded w/gold.