 Philaenis was vaguely remembered during the Early Modern Period for her reputation as a wanton woman.In his "Gynaikeion, or Nine Books of Various History Concerning Women" (1624), the English author Thomas Heywood describes Philaenis as a "strumpet of Leucadia" and credits her with having invented "kataklysis" (douching).Heywood omits reference to the lewd sexual activities Philaenis was accused of having performed because the "Gynaikeion" was written for a female audience and he believed such obscenities were inappropriate for women to read about.