A Cyclopaedia of Female Biography/Chelidonis
CHELIDONIS,
Daughter of Leotychides, and the wife of Cleonymus, son of Cleomenes the Second, King of Sparta. He was disliked by the Lacedæmonians, on account of his violent temper, and they gave the royal authority to Atreus, his brother's son. Chelidonis also despised him and loved Acrotatus, a very beautiful youth, the son of Atreus. Cleonymus left Lacedsemon in anger, and went to solicit Pyrrhus, King of Epirua, to make war against the Lacedaemonians. Pyrrhus came against the city with a large army, but was repulsed. The Spartans, on his approach, had resolved to send the women, by night, to Crete for safety; but Archidamia came, sword in hand, into the senate, complaining that they were thought capable of surviving the destruction of their country. The women laboured all night on the abutments, with the exception of Chelidonis, who put a rope around her neck, resolving not to fall alive into the hands of her husband The city was saved chiefly by the patriotism of women, inspired by Chelidonis. She lived about 280 B. C.