Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece

Chapter 648: Platos Arrival

Furthermore, since the Theonian Akademia is also open*, many people heard the lectures of the medical school, especially the class ‘A Brief History of Medical Development’, which is remembered by many people because of its lively and exciting content and doesn't involve specialised medical terminology and primarily focus on Hippocrates. (The Theonian Akademia allowed a fixed number of knowledge-loving Theonians to enter the Akademia to observe.)

“Oh, he is the Hippocrates who is known as part of the ‘the Theonian Medical School in the west and Hippocrates in the east’!”

“I heard that he went to and from places where plagues occurred, seeking cures and saving the sick Greeks, even at the risk of his life…he is truly a good man with high morals.”

“I also heard he set up a clinic on Kos Island, and he didn't even charge the poor and saved many people…”

“The Greek city-states in the eastern Mediterranean don't have such hospitals and many physicians with professional training throughout the cities as Theonia. Without Hippocrates, they would live in fear of diseases.”

“No! I think it's mainly because the Greeks in the eastern Mediterranean do not believe in Hades that they couldn't get his blessing!”

“You are right.”

. . . . . . . . . . . .

The bystander applauded while talking excitedly.

“Teacher Hippocrates.” Herpes excitedly said while pointing at the numerous applauding audience on the port, “The people of Theonia are warmly welcoming you and are ready to listen to your lecture!”

Hippocrates hurriedly waved his hand and modestly said, “I don't dare to lecture; I am here for the exchange and to learn. I have long heard that the art of medicine is flourishing in the kingdom of Theonia and that its king is well-versed in medicine and strongly supports medical research! I have carefully read the book ?Human Anatomy? you brought to me when you came to invite me and learned that you had studied the bones, muscles, organs and blood vessels of the human body…to such an unfathomable level, remarkable, truly remarkable!

There is also the one about ?The Theory of Blood Circulation? that has only over a hundred words, which solves the things puzzling me for many years. But it's a pity that you just started studying it, right?!… Sigh, I should have come here a long time ago! I should've come long ago!” Hippocrates did not stop exclaiming. Although he was old, his thinking and diction were still clear.

Steichicodas and Herpus looked at each other and said smilingly, “ ?The Theory of Blood Circulation? is nearing its completion; we are just waiting for your criticism and correction. We also have our newly made mannequins, various new surgical equipment, and tens of thousands of cases of various diseases…which are being placed in Theonia's Medical School. We are just waiting for you to see, read and discuss it… Moreover, we heard that you have deeply researched cranial surgery, treatment of epilepsy and plague prevention, so we would like to work with you…”

Hippocrates' eyes brighten at Steichicodas' words. Thus before they could finish speaking, the old man grabbed Herpus' hand with agility not less than that of young people and said excitedly, “Where is Theonia's Medical School? Take me there! Take me!…”

After saying that, he impatiently moved forward, even forgetting to introduce his two apprentices, whom he was proud of.

Then the large group of physicians walked through the port area, drawing curious looks from countless people and brushing shoulders with Marticoris and Metitokles, who were also in a hurry to get to the port.

The two statesmen who hurriedly arrived* were curious as to why the medical school was out in force, but they currently had no time to ask them in detail as they hurriedly rushed to the gate of the port and asked the students who were waiting, “Did he arrived?” (The dean and vice-dean of the Institute of Mathematics also joined the Senate some years ago at Davos' suggestion)

The students shook their heads.

“We were informed by a fast-sailing ship that his passenger ship had entered the Gulf of Taranto!” Marticoris scratched his head irritably.

“Calm down and just wait!” Metitokles reassured him.

As they talked, the people around them were surprised to see them. Although they are not as prestigious as Herpus and Steichicodas among the people, they are highly respected among the port workers. Marticoris had designed and perfected the pulley many times, significantly reducing their workload of loading and unloading cargo and the possibility of getting injured as much as possible. In addition, many sailors at the port know that Metitokles was also using his theory of buoyancy by experimenting with thin iron sheets to cover the wooden hulls of the ships and allowing them to float on water…

So who are these two knowledgeable scholars coming to welcome?! The people are filled with expectations.

Suddenly, an ordinary-looking middle-aged man came to the front of the welcoming team and asked, “Are you the person responsible for convening the All-Greek Academic Symposium?”

“Yes, you are?” A student asked.

The middle-aged man smiled and said, “I am Xanthilian, a scholar from Abdera.”

Abdera?! Marticoris impatiently asked loudly after hearing the place name, “What's your relationship with Democritus?”

“Democritus is my respected teacher!” Xanthilian then said apologetically, “I want to apologise as my teacher promised to attend this Academic Symposium, but he contracted a chill a few days before his departure, and his body wasn't able to recover well. Since he is already 78 years old, he really couldn't travel on such a long boat trip; Not only did his family dissuade him, but also the statesmen of the city-state rushed to dissuade him. In the end, he could only give up his intention to come to the symposium and instead sent me to Thurii to carry out the academic exchanges on his behalf, so I hope I can get your understanding!”

“That's unfortunate. I also want to have a good exchange with him about the calculation methods and knowledge of the geometry of cones and spheres.” Marticoris grabbed his hair in regret.

Metitokles hurriedly said, “We didn't think it carefully, and the age of teacher Democritus is unsuited for such long journeys. Since he sent you here, I am sure you must be his best student, so we will listen to your wonderful speech instead.”

“That's right! That's right!” After many years of being the vice-dean of the Institute of Mathematics, Marticoris wasn't without any emotional intelligence. Thus he sincerely said to Xanthilian, “I look forward to exchanging knowledge with you in mathematics, physics, astronomy, and so on. As for philosophy, Gorgias and the others will certainly come to invite you with enthusiasm. However, that will have to wait until after your lectures and exchanges at the Institute of Mathematics.”

Xanthilian quickly said a few modest words, and everyone soon got to know each other as they walked out of the port laughing and talking.

Hearing Democritus' name from Marticoris' loud voice, a merchant from the Ionian region among the bystander exclaimed, “Democritus! Theonia has invited Democritus!”

Someone beside him asked, “Who is Democritus?”

“You people in the western Mediterranean might not know much about him, but all Greeks in the eastern Mediterranean, especially in the Black Sea, Asia Minor and Ionia, who can read and write, know him. He is a knowledgeable scholar and lived in the Greek colonial city of Abdera in Thrace. I heard that he knew everything about nature, philosophy, astronomy, geography, mathematics, physics, animals, medicine, law, politics…so much so that countless young Greeks went to Abdera to learn and returned satisfied. When the king of Persia heard of his fame, he especially wrote an invitation to him to come to Babylon to give a lecture, only to have him refuse. Besides that, I heard that though Democritus was a great scholar, he was humorous and kind to others, able to make complicated questions vivid and interesting and that many Greeks who came from studying under him were full of praise for him and even called him an all-knowing man beside the gods…” The merchant recounted pridefully the things he heard about Democritus.

Hearing this, the people around him became fascinated and couldn't help but sigh, “It's unfortunate that this great scholar couldn't come!”

“Look, Lord Ansitanos has come! And also the eloquent Lysias!” The people of Thurii exclaimed again.

Ansitanos, as the first statesman of the kingdom and the writer of the History of Magna Graecia, was deeply respected by the people. Lysias, on the other hand, was also famous in Theonia, not to mention that he was the one to write the hymns at the various festivities every year. Furthermore, he became famous as a defence lawyer at the trial of Ladician, making many young people want to learn rhetorics under him, and numerous people who committed crimes wanted to hire him to defend themselves. And because of that, his house was crowded with people daily.

Thus wherever they passed, the people would greet them.

. . . . . . . . . . . .

After getting off the passenger ship, Plato didn't immediately leave the dock. Instead, he carefully observed the port's situation.

He noticed that although the port of Thurii wasn't as big as the port of Piraeus in Athens and its location wasn't good, its liveliness was almost the same as that of Piraeus. On the other hand, the port's sanitary cleanliness and the equipment of the various facilities were much better than that of Piraeus. In particular, the pulley erected on the trestle attracted his attention.

‘How can various merchant ships and passenger ships enter and leave the port, dock, load and unload goods? How can the labourers, sailors and passengers not interfere with each other? How can the whole dock operate effectively and maintain order?…’ By observing these, he could see the level of a city-state's management of affairs. And the busy but orderly scene of the port of Thurii made Plato nod quietly.

Speusippus came to him and said, “Teacher, those heading to us seem to be the people from Theonia's Akademia to meet us.”

When Plato heard him, he quickly turned around and saw a man striding towards him and shouting, “Plato, welcome! Welcome to Thurii!”