I really wish that modern readers would stop portraying travellers tales and political propaganda/slurs as fact.
Yes. We should be believing locals’ tales and political propaganda/slurs as fact!
What, exactly, do you take issue with?
I miss Helen’s Eidolon. 
Plus, IIRC, it was not unusual for Roman writers to slander political opponents by attributing all sorts of horrible behaviour to them and repeating or embellishing the gutter gossip. Much of the outrageous behaviour that characterizes imperial Rome should probably be taken with a grain of salt.
…would never cheat on Gabrielle. She might lie to her, yank her hair, slap her around, and drag her behind her horse for miles before trying to throw her off a cliff, but nonetheless the Warrior Princess was strictly a one-woman woman.