(), of the island Astypalaea, an athlete, of whom
Pausanias (6.9) and Plutarch (Plut. Rom.
28) record the following legend :--In Ol. 72 (B. C. 492) he
killed Iccus, his opponent, in a boxing-umatch, at the Olympic games, and the judges (Ἑλλανοδίκαι) decided that he had been guilty of unfair play,
and punished him with the loss of the prize. Stung to madness by the disgrace, he returned to
Astypalaea, and there in his frenzy he shook down the pillar which supported the roof of a
boys' school, crushing all who were in it beneath the ruins. The Astypalaeans preparing to
stone him, he fled for refuge to the temple of Athena, and got into a chest, which his
pursuers, having vainly attempted to open it, at length broke to pieces; but no Cleomedes was
there. They sent accordingly to consult the Delphic oracle, and received the following
answer:-- ὕπατος ἡρώων Κλεομήδης Ἀστυπαλαιεύςὅν θυσίαις τιμᾶθʼ ὡς μηκέτι θνητὸν ἐόντα.