Description of Greece

​Near it is the sanctuary of Hilaeira and Phoebe; and the author of the epic poem “Cypria” says that they are the daughters of Apollo. Maidens serve them as priestesses, who are themselves also called Leucippides, just like the goddesses. Indeed, one of the two statues, a certain Leucippis who had served as a priestess to the goddesses, adorned, having made a face of the art of our time instead of the ancient one; but a dream forbade her to adorn this other one as well. Here an egg is suspended from the roof, wrapped in ribbons; and they say that it is that egg which, as the story goes, Leda brought forth.

​And every year the women weave a tunic for Apollo at Amyclae, and they call the building where they weave “Chiton”. And a house is built near it; and they say that originally the sons of Tyndareus inhabited it, but in later times Phormion, a Spartan, acquired it. To him came the Dioscuri, resembling foreign men; and saying that they had come from Cyrene, they asked to be lodged with him, and requested the room in which they used to delight most when they were among men.

​But he told them to dwell in any other part of the house they wished, but said he would not give that room; for it happened that his maiden daughter had her lodging in it. And on the next day, that maiden and all the attendance about the girl had vanished, and statues of the Dioscuri were found in the room, along with a table and silphium upon it.

​These things indeed they say happened in this way. And to one going from the “Chiton” as if toward the gates, there is the hero-shrine of Chilon, who is considered wise, and of Athenodorus, one of those who were sent to Sicily together with Dorieus, the son of Anaxandrides; and they were sent because they believed that the territory of Eryx belonged to the descendants of Heracles, and not to the barbarians who possessed it. For there is a story that Heracles wrestled with Eryx on these agreed terms: if Heracles won, the land of Eryx should belong to Heracles; but if he were defeated in the wrestling, the cattle of Geryon—

​for Heracles was driving these at that time, and when they swam across to Sicily, he crossed over after them in order to find them at the Crooked Olive—these cattle, then, if Heracles were defeated, Eryx was to drive off and depart with them. But the favor from the gods did not attend Heracles and, in later times, Dorieus, the son of Anaxandrides, in the same way; for Heracles killed Eryx, but the Egestaeans destroyed Dorieus himself and the greater part of his army.