Location information

The Akhili of Achilles

ACHILI (Settlement) SKYROS
  Achilles’ mother, goddess Thetis, heard about a prophecy which said that her son would be killed in the Trojan War. Apart form all the other precautions that she took in order to prevent fate, she disguised Achilles as a woman, gave him the name "Pyrrha" (blonde) and hid him at Lykomedes’ palace. Achilles and the king’s daughter, Deidamia couldn't help falling in love. The result of their love was their son Pyrrhos (blond), whose descendant, Olympiada, gave birth to Alexander the Great. But Achilles didn’t escape his destiny. A fortuneteller revealed Achilles’ hideout and the Greeks sent Ulysses to bring him from Skyros in order to lead the war in Troy and bring back the beautiful Helen. The ingenious Ulysses got into Lycomedes’ court disguised as a merchant. In his basket he had jewels and weapons. Women chose the jewels, but Achilles chose a sword which revealed his male nature and was caught out. So he set off to the Trojan War and his heroic death from Akhili: The little haven of Skyros, which takes its name form Achilles, and every Skyrian today shows it to tourists with pride.
This text (extract) is cited July 2003 from the Municipality of Skyros tourist pamphlet.