DESCRIPTION:

The portico was decorated with a mosaic floor consisting of five sections: in the central section, there is a large depiction of Achilles disguised as a girl in the palace of Lycomedes, king of Scyros. According to the myth, Thetis, Achilles' mother, knowing that her son would die in the Trojan War, hid him in Lycomedes' court. Odysseus, realizing that Achilles was among the daughters of Lycomedes, devised a trick to reveal him. He brought precious gifts, including weapons. While most of the girls were interested in the ornaments, Achilles, being a warrior by nature, showed interest in the weapons, and thus his true identity was revealed. The mosaic depicts the moment when Achilles reveals his identity to Odysseus upon hearing a false alarm. The trumpet can be seen above Odysseus, who is pretending to be a merchant. Achilles has taken off his female sandal and thrown the spindle to the ground in order to grab the spear and shield that the cunning Odysseus brought for this purpose. The king's daughter, Deidamia, who knew his true identity and had fallen in love with him, is touching Achilles.

Mosaic floors have been found in the rooms located beyond the portico. The central section of the mosaic in one of the smaller rooms depicts the abduction of Ganymede by Zeus, who had transformed into an eagle.