On the Naming of Rivers, Mountains, and Things Found in Them (21-25)

The Caicos is a river in Mysia. It used to be called the Astraios after Astraios, son of Poseidon. He violently raped his sister during a night-time festival of Athena without realizing who she was and took from the aforementioned her ring. The next day he recognised his own sister’s signet. Overwhelmed with grief, he threw himself into the Adouros river, which was renamed the Astraios after him.

It came to be called the Caicos for this reason. Caicos, son of Hermes and the nymph Ocyrrhoe, murdered Timandros, one of the elites. Fearing Timandros’ relatives, he threw himself into the Astraios, which was renamed the Caicos after him.

There is produced in this river a poppy that bears stones rather than seeds. Some of these are black and similar to wheat. The Mysians throw them into freshly-ploughed land. If it is not going to produce much, they remain in place where they fell. But if a good crop is forecast, the little stones leap about like locusts.

There grows also a plant called helipharmacos (sun-drug or nail-drug) which doctors apply to women who are haemorrhaging and thus stop the blood-flow from the veins. Timagoras recounts this in book 1 of his On Rivers.

Nearby is Mount Teuthras which was named after Teuthras, king of the Mysians. He climbed Mount Thrasyllon to go hunting, saw an enormous boar and pursued it with his bodyguards. It escaped and took refuge as a suppliant in the sanctuary of Artemis Orthosia. While they were all forcing their way into the temple, the swine cried out loudly, proclaiming in a human voice: King, spare the favoured creature of the goddess!. But Teuthras was caught up in the moment and killed the animal. Artemis was insulted by this act. She restored the boar to life and, as a punishment for what he had done, inflicted vitiligo and madness upon Teuthras. Ashamed of these afflictions, he lived thereafter on the heights. Lysippe, the mother of the aforementioned, learned of what had happened and ran into the woods. She brought with her the seer Polyidos, son of Coiranos. Together they investigated the matter fully and uncovered the truth; she sacrificed bulls to the goddess and so soothed her outrage. Once she had recovered her son – now of sound mind – she dedicated an altar to Artemis Orthosia. Then she adorned it with a golden boar rendered with a human head. And still today, this golden boar, pursued by hunters, enters the temple and cries out Spare me!. Teuthras, who had against all hope regained his original appearance, renamed the mountain Teuthras

There is produced on this mountain a stone called antipathes (counter-effect). When dissolved in wine it does wonders against vitiligo and leprosy. Ctesias of Cnidos recounts this in book 2 of his On Mountains.

The Acheloos is a river in Aitolia. It used to be called the Thestios for this reason. Thestios, son of Ares and Peisidice, left for Sicyon on a household matter. After he had been there as long as was needed, he returned to his homeland. There he discovered his son Calydon resting next to his mother and, thinking that he was her lover, he killed his son not knowing who he was. When he realized the truth of his irreversible act, he hurled himself into the Axenos River, which was renamed the Thestios after him. It came to be called the Acheloos for this reason. Acheloos, son of Oceanos and a naiad nymph, had sex with his daughter Clestoria without realizing who she was. He was overwhelmed with despair and threw himself into the river Thestios, which was renamed the Acheloos after him.

There is produced in this river a plant called zaklon which is similar to wool. If you crush it and throw it into wine, it turns the wine into water that retains the aroma of wine, but not its potency.

There is found also a stone which is a dull blue colour, and which is called linourgos (works with linen) for this reason. If you throw it onto a linen cloth, there is a kind of union of attraction and it takes on the linen’s appearance and becomes more white. Antisthenes recounts this in book 3 of his On Meleager. Diocles of Rhodes records it in more detail in his On Aitolia.

Nearby is a mountain called Calydon, which took its name from Calydon, the son of Ares and Astynome. When he accidentally saw Artemis bathing, she transformed his body into stone. By the providence of the gods the mountain, previously called Gyron, was renamed Calydon after him.

There is produced on this mountain a plant which has the name myops (contracts-the eyes). If someone throws it into water and washes their face with that solution, they lose their sight. Once they have appeased Artemis, their sight is restored. Dercyllos recounts this in book 3 of his On Aitolia.

The Araxes is a river in Armenia which got its name from Araxes, son of Pylos. Araxes fought with his grandfather Arbelos over the royal sceptre, and killed him with an arrow. He was pursued vengefully by the Erinyes and he hurled himself into the Bactros River, which was renamed the Araxes after him. Ctesiphon recounts this in book 1 of his On Persia.

Araxes, king of the Armenians, was engaged in a border war with the Persians. When the conflict was dragging on, he received an oracle that he would win victory if he sacrificed the two noblest maidens to the protective gods. He spared his own daughters out of paternal favouritism. Instead, he led to the altars and killed the much-admired girls of one of his subjects. Mnesalces, the father of the murdered girls, was deeply affected by this but hid his outrage until the right moment. Seizing his chance, he ambushed and killed the sovereign’s daughters. He left his homeland and sailed to Scythia. When Araxes learned what had happened, he was overwhelmed by despair and hurled himself into the River Halmos, which was renamed the Araxes after him.

There is produced in this river a plant called araxa in the local dialect, which is said to be translated as maiden-hater. For when the aforementioned is gathered by maidens, it produces a flow of blood and the plant withers away.

A stone is also produced called sicyonos (cucumber), which is black in colour. Whenever an oracle demands human sacrifice, this stone is placed on the altars of the protective gods by two maidens. The priest merely touches it with his knife and it produces a copious gush of blood. At that moment, those celebrating the rite depart with cries of lament and carry the stone into the temple. Dorotheos the Chaldean recounts this in book 2 of his On Stones.

Nearby is a mountain called Diorphos after the earthborn Diorphos, about whom this story is circulated. Mithras wanted an heir but, because he hated all women, he mated with a rock. The rock became pregnant and, after the normal amount of time, it produced an infant by the name of Diorphos. In the prime of his youth, he challenged Ares to a duel and was killed. By the providence of the gods he was transformed into a mountain of the same name.

There is produced on this mountain a tree similar to a pomegranate. It bears a plentiful crop of round fruits that taste like grapes. If someone plucks one of these when they are ripe and speaks the name of Ares, it turns green in their hand. Ctesiphon recounts this in book 13 of his On Trees.

The Tigris (tiger) is a river in Armenia which flows down into both the Araxes and the Arsacis swamp. It used to be called Sollax, which translates as flowing down. It came to be called the Tigris for this reason. Dionysos became mad by the providence of Hera and he wandered both land and sea in search of relief from his afflictions. When he reached Armenia, he was not able to cross the aforementioned river and called upon Zeus for help. The god heard him and sent him a tiger. Dionysos crossed the river safely on the tiger’s back and renamed the river the Tigris in honour of these events. Theophilos recounts this in book 1 of his On Stones.

Hermesianax of Cyprus records the following story. Dionysos fell in love with the nymph Alphesiboia but was not able to win her over with gifts or entreaties. He changed the shape of his body into the aforementioned tiger. He won her using fear. He seized his beloved, carried her through the river, and fathered with her a son, Medos. When Medos had grown up he renamed the river the Tigris after the event. Aristonymos recounts this in book 3 of his On Rivers.

There is produced in this river a stone called myndan, which is entirely white. As long as someone is holding it, he is completely unharmed by wild animals. Leon of Byzantium recounts this in book 3 of his On Rivers.

Nearby is a mountain called Gauranon after Gauranos, son of the satrap Roxanes. He behaved piously toward the gods and was granted in return a gift. Out of all the Persians, he alone lived 300 years. After he died without any illness he was deemed worthy of a lavish tomb on the heights of Mausoron. By the providence of the gods the mountain was renamed Gauranon after him.[*]

There is produced on this mountain a plant similar to wild barley. The locals heat it with oil and smear it on themselves and suffer no illnesses right up until the moment when death is inevitable. Sostratos recounts this in book 1 of his Account of Mythical History.

The Indos is a river in India that flows with a great rush down to the land of the Ichthyophagoi (Fish-eaters). It used to be called Mausolos after Mausolos the son of Helios. It was renamed for this reason. During the mysteries of Dionysos, while the locals were engaged in worship of the god, Indos, who was a distinguished young man, violently raped Damasalcida. She was a kanephoros[*] and the daughter of king Oxyalces. While he was being sought by the sovereign for punishment, fear caused him to throw himself into the river Mausolos, which was renamed the Indos after him.

There is produced in this river a stone called…[*] Whenever maidens carry it they have no fear at all of rapists.

There grows also a plant called carpule (fruit),[*] which resembles bouglossos (ox-tongue). Taken with lukewarm water, it does wonders for those suffering from jaundice. Cleitophon of Rhodes recounts this in book 10 of his On India.

Nearby is a mountain called Lilaion after Lilaios, a shepherd. He was very devout; he devoted himself to Selene alone and he would celebrate the mysteries of the aforementioned in the middle of the night. The other gods were deeply offended by this dishonour and sent two enormous lions against him. He was torn apart by them and lost his life. Selene transformed her benefactor into a mountain of the same name.

There is produced on this mountain a stone called cleitoris. It is very black in colour. The locals wear it in their ears as jewellery. Aristotle recounts this in book 4 of his On Rivers