On the Naming of Rivers, Mountains, and Things Found in Them (16-20)

The Nile is a river in Egypt near the city of Alexandria. It used to be called the Melas after Melas, son of Poseidon. It was later called the Aigyptos for this reason: Aigyptos, son of Hephaistos and Leucippe, was king of the region. When a civil war caused the Nile to fail to rise and the locals to suffer a famine, Apollo Pythios declared that the crops would only flourish if the king sacrificed his daughter to appease the gods. With no other option in this terrible situation, the sovereign led Aganippe to the altars. After she had been butchered, overwhelming grief caused Aigyptos to hurl himself into the Melas, which was renamed the Aigyptos after him.

It came to be called the Nile for this reason. Garmathone, the queen of the region along the Aigyptos, lost her son Chrysochoas when he was in the bloom of his youth. Along with her household, she was performing pitiful laments for the aforementioned. But when Isis appeared suddenly, the queen put aside her despair for the moment and affected an air of joy as she graciously welcomed the goddess into her home. Isis wished to help Garmathone as a reward for her devotion and so she commanded Osiris to bring her son up from the place below. When Osiris had carried out her orders, Cerberos – whom some call Phoberos (terrible) – howled. Neilos, Garmathone’s husband, was suddenly possessed by the divine and he hurled himself into the river called Aigyptos, which was renamed the Nile after him.

There is produced in this river a stone similar to a bean. Whenever dogs see it, they do not howl. It works on those possessed by spirits: when placed in front of the nostrils, the spirit departs. Other stones are also produced, called collotes (bind-together). Swallows gather them beside the rising Nile and pile them up into the so-called Swallow Wall which blocks the flow of water and prevents the territory from being destroyed by the deluge. Thrasyllos recounts this in his On Egypt.

Nearby is a mountain called Argillon for this reason. Desire caused Zeus to abduct the nymph Arge from Lyctos, a city in Crete. He took her to a mountain in Egypt called Argillon [*] and there fathered with her a son called Dionysos. When Dionysos grew up he renamed the peak Argillon in honour of his mother. He raised armies of Pans and Satyrs and subjugated India to his own authority. He conquered also Iberia and left Pan behind to administer the region; Pan renamed the region Pania after himself. Subsequent generations made a slight adjustment and called it Spain. Sosthenes recounts this in book 13 of his On Iberia.

The wrath of Aphrodite caused Himeros, son of Lacedaimon and the nymph Taygetos, to violently rape his own sister Cleodice at a night-time festival without realizing who she was. When day dawned, he realized what had happened and despaired. Grief caused him to hurl himself into the Marathon River, which was renamed the Himeros after him.

It was later called the Eurotas for this reason. The Spartans were engaged in a war with the Athenians and were waiting for a full moon. Eurotas, the commander of the aforementioned, scorned all such superstitions and joined battle despite being warned by thunder and lightning bolts. He lost his army and fell into such despair that he hurled himself into the Himeros, which was renamed the Eurotas after him.

There is produced in this river a stone similar to a helmet, called thrasydeilos (rash coward). As soon as it hears a trumpet, it advances onto the riverbank; but when the Athenians are mentioned it sinks back into the depths! There are many of these stones dedicated in the temple of Athena Chalcioicos. Nicanor of Samos recounts this in book 2 of his On Rivers.

Nearby is a mountain called Taygetos which was renamed after the nymph Taygete, who was violently raped by Zeus. Overcome by grief, she put an end to her life with a noose on the heights of Mount Amyclaios, which was renamed Taygetos after her.

There is produced on this mountain a plant called charisia (grace). Women wear necklaces of it in early spring and it causes them to be loved more passionately by their husbands. Cleanthes recounts this in book 1 of his On Mountains. Sosthenes of Cnidos records it more accurately and Hermogenes took the subject from there.

The Inachos is a river in the Argolid. It used to be called the Carmanor. Haliacmon, a man from Tiryns, was tending his flocks on Mount Coccygion when he accidentally saw Zeus having sex with Hera.[*] He went mad and, driven by a sudden impulse, threw himself into the Carmanor, which was renamed the Haliacmon after him. It later came to be called the Inachos for this reason. After Io was raped by Zeus, her father Inachos, son of Oceanos, hounded the god, abusing him with curses and insults. Zeus grew angry at this insolent behaviour and sent Tisiphone, one of the Erinyes, after him. Inachos, tormented by her, threw himself into the Haliacmon River, which was renamed the Inachos after him.

There is produced in this river a plant called cynoura, which is similar to rue. Women seeking to safely terminate their pregnancies steep it in wine and apply it to their navels.

There is found in this river also a stone similar to beryl. When people planning to give false testimony hold it, it becomes black. There are many of these in the sanctuary of Hera Prosymnaia, as Timotheos recounts in his On the Argolid. Agathon of Samos also records this in book 2 of his On Rivers. Agathocles of Miletos says in his On Rivers that Inachos, because of his wickedness, was struck by Zeus’ thunderbolt and dried up

Nearby are the mountains Mycenae, Apesantos, Coccygion, and Athenaion, which were named for the following reasons:

Mount Apesantos used to be called the Selenaion. Hera got Selene to help her avenge herself on Heracles. Selene, using magical incantations, filled a basket with foam from which a huge lion was produced. Iris, restraining it with her own belts, led it down onto Mount Opheltion. The lion dismembered Apesantos, a local shepherd, and killed him. By the providence of the gods, the place was renamed Apesantos after him. Demodocos recounts this in book 1 of his On Heracles.

There is produced on this mountain a plant called selene. Shepherds collect the foam produced by it at the beginning of summer, rub it on their feet and are thus unharmed by snakes.

Mycenae used to be called Argion after Argos Panoptes. It was renamed Mycenae for this reason. After Perseus killed Medousa, Stheno and Euryale, the sisters of the aforementioned murder victim, pursued the perpetrator. It was on this peak that they gave up hope of catching him and in despair they let out a roar (mukethmos). The local people renamed the peak Mycenae after this event. Ctesias of Ephesos recounts this in book 1 of his On Perseus.

Chrysermos of Corinth records this story in book 1 of his On the Peloponnese. When Perseus was being borne aloft over this ridge, the pommel (mukēs) fell from the hilt of his sword. Gorgophonos, king of Epidauros, had been exiled from his kingdom. He was told by an oracle to visit in turn the cities of the Argolid and, wherever he found the pommel of a sword, to found a city there. When he came to Mount Argion he found the ivory hilt and there he founded a city, which he named Mycenae after this event.

There is produced on this mountain a stone called corybas (corybant), which has the colour of a crow. If ever you find this stone and hold it close to your body, you will have no fear at all of apparitions of monsters.

Mount Apesantos was named for Apesantos, son of Acrisios. When he was hunting in that place, he stepped on a poisonous snake and died. The king buried his son and renamed the peak Apesantos; previously it had been called Selinountios.

Mount Coccygion was named for this reason. Zeus fell in love with his sister Hera and, despite feeling ashamed of who he was in love with, fathered with her a male child. In any case, the mountain that had been called Lyrceion was named Coccygion (cuckoo) from this event. Agathonymos recounts this in his On Perseus.

There grows on this mountain a tree called palinouros. If any animal sits on it, it is held fast as if in bird-lime. The exception is the cuckoo: it is not affected. Ctesiphon recounts this in book 1 of his On trees.

Mount Athenaion took its name from Athena. After the sack of Troy, Diomedes was on his way back to Argos and climbed Mount Ceraunion. He established a sanctuary to Athena there and renamed the hill Athenaion after the goddess.

There is produced on the heights of Athenaion a root similar to rue. Whenever a woman eats this unknowingly, she becomes mad. It is called adrasteia (inescapable). Plesimachos recounts this in book 2 of his On the Returns from Troy

The Alpheios is a river in Arcadia near Olympian Pisa. It used to be called the Stymphelos after Stymphelos, son of Ares and Dormothea. He lost his horse-loving son Alcmaion. Overwhelmed with despair, he hurled himself into the Nyctimos river. It was renamed the Stymphelos after him. It came to be called the Alpheios for this reason. Alpheios, a descendant of the race of Helios, vied with his brother Cercaphos for glory and killed the aforementioned. Pursued by Erinyes,[*] he threw himself into the Nyctimos, which was renamed the Alpheios after him.

There is produced in this river a plant called cenchritis (grainy) which is similar to honeycomb. Doctors boil it down and give it as a drink to those who have lost their senses, and thus cure them of their madness. Ctesias recounts this in book 1 of his On Rivers.

Nearby is a mountain called Cronios for this reason. After the fight between the Olympians and the Giants, Cronos escaped Zeus’ threats by coming to Mount Ctouros, which he renamed Cronios after himself. He escaped detection for some time, then seized an opportunity and went to the Scythian Caucasos.

There is produced on this mountain a stone called cylindros (cylinder) from this situation. Each time Zeus sendslightning bolts or thunder, the stones roll down from the heights in fear. Dercyllos records this in book 1 of his On Stones.

The Euphrates is a river in Parthia near the city of Babylon. It used to be called the Medos after Medos, the son of Artaxerxes. Desire caused him to violently rape the daughter of Cordyes, Roxane. The following day, he was pursued by the king for punishment. Overcome by fear, he threw himself into the Xarandas river, which was named the Medos after him.

The Euphrates is a river in Parthia near the city of Babylon. It used to be called the Medos after Medos, the son of Artaxerxes. Desire caused him to violently rape the daughter of Cordyes, Roxane. The following day, he was pursued by the king for punishment. Overcome by fear, he threw himself into the Xarandas river, which was named the Medos after him.

There is produced in this river a stone called aetites (eagle rock). Midwives place this upon the stomachs of women having difficult labours and they give birth immediately and without pain.

There is also produced in this river a plant called axalla which when translated means hot. Whenever those suffering from quartan fever place it upon their chests they are immediately cured of their symptoms. Chrysermos of Corinth recounts this in book 13 of his On Rivers.

Nearby is a mountain called Drimyllon. On this mountain is produced a stone similar to sardonyx. Kings use it in their royal insignia. It does wonders for poor sight when thrown into hot water. Nicias of Mallos recounts this in his On Stones.