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Filler
October 21, 1839
Alexandria Gazette
Alexandria, Alexandria County, District Of Columbia
What is this article about?
Herodotus recounts how Histiaeus, a Milesian prisoner of Darius, sent a secret message by shaving a man's head, writing on it, and letting the hair grow before dispatching the man; the recipient shaved the head to read the inscription.
Clipping
OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
An Ancient Despatch.—It is related in Herodotus that Histiaeus, the Milesian, being kept prisoner by Darius, and all correspondence cut off, he shaved a man's head, wrote a despatch upon it, and then kept the man out of sight till his hair was grown. The living letter was then sent, and the person, to whom he was addressed, upon shaving the messenger's head, found the news there inscribed.
What sub-type of article is it?
Curiosity
What keywords are associated?
Herodotus
Histiaeus
Darius
Shaved Head
Secret Despatch
Ancient Message
What entities or persons were involved?
Histiaeus
Darius
Filler Details
Topic
Secret Message Written On Shaved Head
Key Persons
Histiaeus
Darius
Event Details
Histiaeus, kept prisoner by Darius with correspondence cut off, shaved a man's head, wrote a despatch on it, hid the man until hair regrew, then sent him; the recipient shaved the head to find the inscribed news.