THE DESCRIPTION

An oracle was given to the kings, commanding them to follow a "three-eyed leader" on this expedition. As they were wondering what the oracle could mean, they met a man driving a mule that had lost one of its eyes. Cresphontes shrewdly guessed that the oracle referred to this man, and the Dorienses accordingly entered into an alliance with him. This man persuaded them to travel to the Peloponnesus by sea, rather than attempting to force their way through the Isthmus with an infantry army. He therefore led their fleet from Naupactus to Molycrius. This man was Oxylus, the descendant of Hamon, the son of Thoas. Thoas himself, in conjunction with the sons of Atreus, had overthrown the kingdom of Priam. The Heraclidæ—the descendants of Hercules—were also allied to the Ætolian kings, particularly because Andræmon and Hercules had sired Thoas and Hyllus by their own sisters. Oxylus had fled from Ætolia because, while playing with a discus, he accidentally killed a man—according to some, his brother Thermius, or according to others, Alcidocus, the son of Scopius.

CHAP. IV.

The following circumstance is also reported about Oxylus. He suspected that the children of Aristomachus, knowing that Elis was a fertile and well-cultivated land, would be unwilling to yield it to him. On this account, he led the Dorienses through the realm of Arcadia rather than through Elis. Dius did not readily yield to the demands of Oxylus, who sought to obtain the kingdom of the Eleans without a fight. Instead, Dius challenged him, suggesting that they should not endanger their lives by risking all their forces, but should instead choose one soldier from each army for single combat. This proposal pleased both parties. On one side, the Elean Degmenus, an archer, was chosen; on the other, the Ætolian Pyræchmes, a slinger, was selected. In this contest, Pyræchmes was the victor, and Oxylus obtained the government.