Histories

Now at this time,[*](About 510.) as the Sybarites say, they and their king Telys were making ready to march against +Croton [17.1333,39.0833] (Perseus) Croton, and the men of +Croton [17.1333,39.0833] (Perseus) Croton, who were very much afraid, entreated Dorieus to come to their aid. Their request was granted, and Dorieus marched with them to +Sybaris [16.4833,39.75] (Perseus) Sybaris helping them to take it.

This is the story which the Sybarites tell of Dorieus and his companions, but the Crotoniats say that they were aided by no stranger in their war with +Sybaris [16.4833,39.75] (Perseus) Sybaris with the exception of Callias, an Elean diviner of the Iamid clan. About him there was a story that he had fled to +Croton [17.1333,39.0833] (Perseus) Croton from Telys, the tyrant of +Sybaris [16.4833,39.75] (Perseus) Sybaris, because as he was sacrificing for victory over +Croton [17.1333,39.0833] (Perseus) Croton, he could obtain no favorable omens.

This is their tale, and both cities have proof of the truth of what they say. The Sybarites point to a precinct and a temple beside the dry bed of the Crathis, which, they say, Dorieus founded in honor of Athena of Crathis after he had helped to take their city. and find their strongest proof in his death. He perished through doing more than the oracle bade him, for if he had accomplished no more than that which he set out to do, he would have taken and held the Erycine region without bringing about the death of himself and his army.

The Crotoniats, on the other hand, show many plots of land which had been set apart for and given to Callias of +Elis [21.4,37.8833] (Perseus) Elis and on which Callias' posterity dwelt even to my time but show no gift to Dorieus and his descendants. They claim, however,that if Dorieus had aided them in their war with +Sybaris [16.4833,39.75] (Perseus) Sybaris, he would have received a reward many times greater than what was given to Callias. This, then is the evidence brought forward by each party, and each may side with that which seems to him to deserve more credence.

Other Spartans too sailed with Dorieus to found his colony, namely, Thessalus, Paraebates, Celees, and Euryleon. When these men had come to Sicily [14,37.5] (region), Italy, Europe Sicily with all their company, they were all overcome and slain in battle by the Phoenicians and Egestans, all, that is, except Euryleon, who was the only settler that survived this disaster.

He mustered the remnant of his army and took +Eraclea [13.283,37.4] (deserted settlement), Agrigento, Sicily, Italy, Europe Minoa, the colony from +Selinus [12.8167,37.5833] (Perseus) Selinus, and aided in freeing the people of +Selinus [12.8167,37.5833] (Perseus) Selinus from their monarch Pithagoras. After deposing this man, he himself attempted to become tyrant of +Selinus [12.8167,37.5833] (Perseus) Selinus but was monarch there for only a little while since the people of the place rose against him and slew him at the altar of Zeus of the marketplace, to which he had fled for refuge.

Philippus of +Croton [17.1333,39.0833] (Perseus) Croton, son of Butacides, was among those who followed Dorieus and were slain with him. He had been betrothed to the daughter of Telys of +Sybaris [16.4833,39.75] (Perseus) Sybaris but was banished from +Croton [17.1333,39.0833] (Perseus) Croton. Cheated out of his marriage, he sailed away to Shahhat [21.866,32.833] (inhabited place), Al Jabal al Akhdar, Libya, AfricaCyrene, from where he set forth and followed Dorieus, bringing his own trireme and covering all expenses for his men. This Philippus was a victor at Olympia [21.6333,37.65] (Perseus)Olympia and the fairest Greek of his day.

For his physical beauty he received from the Egestans honors accorded to no one else. They built a hero's shrine by his grave and offer him sacrifices of propitiation.

Such, then, was the manner of Dorieus' death. Had he endured Cleomenes' rule and stayed at Sparta [22.4417,37.0667] (Perseus) Sparta he would have been king of Sparta [22.416,37.83] (inhabited place), Laconia, Peloponnese, Greece, Europe Lacedaemon, for Cleomenes reigned no long time, and died leaving no son but one only daughter, whose name was Gorgo.