Kings and princes are said to have made different at tempts to engage him in their service. We arc told, that Per dicas, king of Macedon, invited him to his court to cure his son of n consumption ; and that Hippocrates discovered the whole complaint to consist in the workings of a secret pas sion which the young man cherished for Phyla, the mistress of his father. This story, however, coincides so exactly •ith'the accounts of the cure performed by Erasistratus on Antigonus, the son Seknells Nicanor, that we are forced to conclude it to be fabulous ; and it must he confessed, that the other anecdotes of his life do not rest on the most satis factory evidence. They arc all derived from the same source, a collection of letters and other pieces, called Tai 401111fC4, sometimes published with the works of Hippo crates.
Artaxerxes offered him large sums, and alsplendid es tablishment, to induce him to enter his service during a de structive epidemic which desolated some of the provinces, and also the armies of Persia. Hippocrates refused the oiler in a haughty style, expressing his contempt of barbarians, and the indignity to which he would find himself subjected by leaving the Greeks, to devote his services to that people. This unnecessary affront, arising from an excess of nation al pride, highly offended Artaxerxes, who then demanded of the inhabitants of Cos, that Hippocrates should be de livered into his hands, threatening them with the extremity of his vengeance in case of refusal. The people of Cos, however, were too honourable, and too much attached to their illustrious countryman, to these intimidating threats ; and Hippocrates remained unmolested.
The high character of this physician gave him, on one occasion, an opportunity of performing an important politi cal service for his native country, which he tenderly loved. The Atheniansthreatened the island of Cos with'a formidable invasion. Hippocrates solicited the assistance of the people of Thessaly and the adjoining countries, and at the same time sent Thessalus his son to Athens, to avert the storm by ne gotiation, and sage remonstrances on the baneful tendency of ambition. The exertions both of the father and the son were successful. The Thessalians, the Messenians, and the states of the Peloponnesus, engaged to espouse the in terests of the island of Cos ; and the Athenians, partly out of regard for Hippocrates, and partly from the apprehen sions which so much resistance created, abandoned their hostile designs.
Hippocrates entertained a deep sense of the importance of the duties of the professional character. He spared no pains which were necessary for his own improvement, and the successful practice of his art. He was aware that me dicine requires more assiduous attention than other employ ments ; he exacted of all his pupils an oath, binding them to certain rigid principles of duty, and, among other things, to engage, that they would enter no house whatever, except for the purpose of relieving those who needed their assist Trice. This rule, if taken according to the strict meaning
df the words, appears somewhat fantastic, as it supposes that the number of patients and of practitioners should always be nicely accommodated to one another. It shows. how ever, the abhorrence which Hippocrates had of any degree of negligence and frivolity in the medical character, He was ready at all hunts to attend on a call ; and submitted with as much willingness to all those minute attentions which were necessary for the welfare of his patients, as to professional offices which were apparently the most dignifi ed. It also redounded to his honour, that his attention was not less directed to the gratuitous object of preventing, than to the lucrative employment of c wing disease. Of this he has left a testimony in his writings, by treating on the subject of diet and of water. These features of disin terestedness would not merit great praise in modern times, in which they arc so common, and are requisite to establish a character, and arc therefore often either mimicked. for this express purpose, or avoided, if they interfere with false and fashionable notions of dignity. They- acquire greater lus tre from the consideration of the different sort of manners which prevailed in the days of Hippocrates, as well as the complete superiority to intrigue, by which, in his conduct, they were accompanied.
His zeal for science and humanity was rendered efficient by his exceilent talents, and the weight of his personal cha racter. His sagacity in observing nature was a resource to him on every emergency ; and the accuracy of his judg ment led him to resist the useless frivolities which super stition had introduced into medical practice. Inviolable secrecy, justice, and good faith, marked the whole of his conduct. Uniting dignity with humanity in his deport ment, he employed firmness or complacency on such oc casions as called for the exercise of either quality. He spoke but little ; and his language was masculine and con cise. His actions were never conducted with agitation ; no prescription was given with precipitance ; no circum stances were neglected ; nor was the result ever left in any degree to accident. If at any time he failed of success, from want of previous experience adapted minutely to any individual case, he acknowledged his failure in the most in genuous manner. In his writings, he sometimes warns his readers against mistakes and errors which he himself had committed, and which were attended with fatal conse quences. He exhibited in all respects a bright example of the qualities which he himself enumerates, with so much eloquence and good sense, as contributing to the perfection of the medical character. Hence his precepts on that sub ject acquire a double authority.