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EMBASSY OF DEIMACHOS-PHIL HELLENISM 299
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writers that the king of Syria despatched to his court an ambassador named Deïmachos. Pliny 2 tells us that (Ptolemy II) Philadelphos, King of Egypt (B. C. 285247), sent an envoy named Dionysios. Dr. Smith points out that it is uncertain whether Dionysios presented his credentials to Bindusara or to his son and successor, Aśoka. It is, however, significant that while Greek and Latin writers refer to Chandragupta and Amitraghata they do not mention Aśoka. This is rather inexplicable if an envoy whose writings were utilized by later authors, really visited the third of the great Mauryas. Patrokles, an officer who served under both Seleukos and his son, sailed in the Indian seas and collected much geographical information which Strabo and Pliny were glad to utilize. Athenaios tells an anecdote of private friendly correspondence between Antiochos (I, Soter), king of Syria, and Bindusara which indicates that the Indian monarch communicated with his Hellenistic contemporaries on terms of equality and friendliness. We are told on the authority of Hegesander that Amitrochates (Bindusara), the king of the Indians, wrote to Antiochos asking that king to buy and send him sweet wine, dried figs, and a sophist, and Antiochos replied: We shall send you the figs and the wine, but in Greece the laws forbid a sophist to be sold. In connection with the demand for a Greek sophist it is interesting to recall the statement of Diodoros that one Iamboulos was carried to the king of Palibothra (Paṭaliputra) who had a great love for the Graecians. Dion Chrysostom asserts that the poetry of Homer is sung by the Indians
1 e.g., Strabo.
2 McCrindle, Ancient India as described in Classical Literature, p. 108. 3 Smith, Asoka, third edition, p. 19.
4 McCrindle, Inv. Alex., p. 409. Hultzsch, Aśoka, p. xxxv. Bindusara's interest in philosophy is also proved by his association with Ajiva-parivrājakas, (Divyavadana, 370 ff). Cf., also the first lines of Pillar Edict VII.
