On Unbelievable Stories (11-15)

One should assume that since the Cyclops lived in isolation he was ignorant of laws, was reliant solely on force, and that he had only one means of perception — his eyesight — and could not foresee anything by way of reason. Clever Odysseus defeated him.

They say that Atalanta and Hippomenes were turned into lions on the mountain. But this is a kind of mistaken assumption about them. One day at noon they entered a cave because they wanted to spend time together. By chance there were lions inside the cave, which devoured them. Later, since Atalanta and Hippomenes did not appear after the beasts had left, their companions assumed that the pair had been transformed.

The daughters of Phorcys are imagined as all making use of a single eye, which they were continually passing around amongst themselves to whomever needed it next. But rather, it is likely that three women who had gone blind made use of a single guide for getting around. [Their names were Pephredo, Enyo and Perso. They kept guard over the golden apples.][*]

They tell the myth that the Sirens were double-formed creatures who had the legs of birds and the bodies of women. They killed those who sailed past. Actually, they were courtesans, renowned for their skill with musical instruments and their sweet voices, and exceptionally beautiful. Their accomplishments were such that any men who encountered them ended up having their wealth entirely consumed. They were said to have the legs of birds because they quickly abandoned men once they had squandered their wealth.

Homer describes the Chimaira’s appearance as,

a lion at the front, a serpent at the back, and a she-goat in the middle

(Iliad 6.181) But rather, the truth would be this. A woman who ruled the region had two brothers who served her called Leon [Lion] and Dracon [Serpent]. Because she broke treaties and murdered guests she was killed by Bellerophon.