Chandragupta Maurya and His Times c7.80

c7.80

**Elaborate Provision for the King’s Safety.** The design of the palace is determined by suspicion and precaution for the king’s safety. Its structure includes any number of mazes, secret and subterranean passages, hollow pillars, hidden staircases, collapsible floors. There is also diverse provision against fire, poisonous animals, and poisons. There are introduced trees which are avoided by snakes. There are parrots because they cry at the sight of a serpent and give the alarm signal. There were other birds also which were differently affected by the sight of poison [I. 20].