Histories

after this vision she used all means to persuade him not to go on this journey to Oroetes; even as he went to his fifty-oared ship she prophesied evil for him. When Polycrates threatened her that if he came back safe, she would long remain unmarried, she answered with a prayer that his threat might be fulfilled: for she would rather, she said, long remain unmarried than lose her father.

But Polycrates would listen to no advice. He sailed to meet Oroetes, with a great retinue of followers, among whom was Democedes, son of Calliphon, a man of +Croton [17.1333,39.0833] (Perseus) Croton and the most skillful physician of his time.

But no sooner had Polycrates come to Magnesia ad Meander [27.416,37.833] (deserted settlement), Aydin Ili, Ege kiyilari, Turkey, AsiaMagnesia than he was horribly murdered in a way unworthy of him and of his aims; for, except for the sovereigns of +Syracuse [15.3,37.0667] (Perseus) Syracuse, no sovereign of Greek race is fit to be compared with Polycrates for magnificence.

Having killed him in some way not fit to be told, Oroetes then crucified him; as for those who had accompanied him, he let the Samians go, telling them to thank him that they were free; those who were not Samians, or were servants of Polycrates' followers, he kept for slaves.

And Polycrates hanging in the air fulfilled his daughter's vision in every detail; for he was washed by Zeus when it rained, and he was anointed by Helios as he exuded sweat from his body.