On the Naming of Rivers, Mountains, and Things Found in Them (6-10)

The Arar (join) is a river in Celtic territory. It received its name because it joins the river Rhodanos. It flows down into it through the territory of the Allobroges. It used to be called the Brigoulos but it was renamed for this reason. Arar ventured into a wood to go hunting and found that his brother Celtiberos had been killed by wild animals. Overwhelming grief caused him to mortally stab himself and to throw himself into the Brigoulos river, which was renamed the Arar after him.

There is produced in this river a large fish that the local people call skolopidos (spike).[*] When the moon is waxing, it is white, but when waning, it becomes completely black. When it has grown unduly large, it impales itself with its own spikes

There is gathered in its head a stone similar to a lump of salt. It does wonders for quartan fever when applied to the left side of the body during a waning moon. Callisthenes of Sybaris recounts this in book 13 of his On Gaul, which Timagenes of Syria took as the basis for his discussion.

Nearby is a mountain called Lougdounon. It was renamed for this reason. Momoros and Atepomaros, after being overthrown by Seseroneus and following a commandment, came to this ridge to found a city. While they were digging the foundations, crows suddenly appeared. They flapped their wings all around and completely filled the trees. Momoros, being an expert in reading bird signs, named the city Lougdounon. For in their dialect they call a crow a lougos and an outcrop a dounon. Cleitophon recounts this in book 13 of his On City Foundings.

The Pactolos is a river in Lydia near the city of Sardis. It used to be called Chrysorrhoas (streaming with gold). Chios, son of Apollo and Agathippe, was a skilled engineer but lived in poverty. He found a way into the treasuries of King Croesus in the middle of the night, carried out the gold and distributed it to members of his household. He was tracked down by the guards but, when he was about to be apprehended, he hurled himself into the river, which was renamed the Chrysorrhoas after him.

It was renamed Pactolos because of this event. Pactolos was the son of Poseidon and Leucothea. During the mysteries of Aphrodite he raped his own sister Demodice without realizing who she was. After he realized what had happened, overwhelming grief caused him to hurl himself into the Chrysorrhoas, which was given the name Pactolos after him.

There are produced in this river specks of Darius’ gold, which are swept down into Eudaimon (fortunate) Bay.

There is also produced in this river a stone called arouraphylax (guard of ploughed land) which is similar to silver. It is gathered with great difficulty since it is mixed together with the specks of gold that are swept downstream. It has the following power. Lydian elites get hold of it by buying it up. They place it before the entrances to their treasuries and so ensure the safety of the gold deposited there. Whenever thieves approach, the stone emits the sound of a trumpet and the thieves, just as if they were being pursued by armed guards, are borne down the steep cliffs. The place where they die their violent deaths is called Pactolos’ Watchtower.

There is produced a purple-flowering plant called chrysopolis (golden city) because neighbouring cities use its tips to verify the purity of gold. They melt the gold and dip the plant in it. If the gold is pure, the leaves become golden but the substance of the plant is not affected. But if the gold contains any impurities at all, it spits out the moisture the flower is converted into. Chrysermos recounts this in book 3 of his On Rivers.

Nearby is Mount Tmolos which abounds with all kinds of wild beasts. It used to be called Carmanorios after Carmanoros, son of Dionysos and Alexirrhoia. He died after being wounded by a boar while hunting. It was later renamed Tmolos for this reason. Tmolos, son of Ares and Theogone and king of Lydia, was hunting on Mount Carmanorios when he caught sight of Arrhippe, a maiden in Artemis’ retinue. He fell in love with her and, overcome by desire, he pursued her intending to force himself on her. Trapped, she fled into the temple of Artemis. Despising any religious qualms, the sovereign violated the maiden inside the sanctuary. Overcome by despair, she put an end to her life with a noose. Deeply offended by this mistreatment, the goddess sent a frenzied bull against the aforementioned man. He was hurled into the air and impaled on palisade spikes. By such torture he died. Theoclymenos, son of the aforementioned, buried his father and renamed the mountain after him.

There is produced on this mountain a stone similar to pumice and found only rarely since it changes colour four times a day. It can be seen by maidens who do not yet know the ways of the world. When girls in the season of marriage see this stone, they will suffer no harm from potential rapists. Cleitophon recounts this.

The Lycormas is a river in Aitolia. It was renamed Euenos for this reason. Desire caused Idas, son of Aphareus, to abduct Marpessa and carry her away to Pleuron. When Euenos learned what had happened he set about pursuing his daughter’s abductor. When he arrived at the Lycormas he gave up all hope of catching him and threw himself into the river, which was renamed the Euenos after him.

There is produced in this river a plant called zarisa[*] that looks like a spear. It does wonders for those with poor vision.

Nearby is Mount Myenos which is named after Myenos, son of Telestor and Alphesiboia. Myenos was desired by his stepmother and, not wanting to pollute the marriage-bed of his father, he withdrew to Mount Alphios. Telestor, fancying him protector of his wife, took his bodyguards with him into the wilderness and set about pursuing his son. Myenos, anticipating the aggressions of his father, threw himself down a precipice. By the providence of the gods the mountain was renamed Myenos after him.

There is produced on this mountain the flower leucoios, which withers and dies when the word stepmother is used. Dercyllos recounts this in Book 3 of his On Mountains.

The Maiandros is a river in Asia. It used to be called the Anabainon (going back) since it is the only river that flows from its own source back into itself. It was named the Maiandros after Maiandros, son of Cercaphos and Anaxibia. While waging war against the Pessinountians, Maiandros promised the Mother of the Gods that, if he were victorious, he would sacrifice whomever first congratulated him for his bravery when he returned bearing trophies. When the aforementioned man returned home, the first one to see him and congratulate him was his son Archelaos, along with his mother and his sister. Mindful of his pledge to the goddess, he had no choice but to lead his family to the altars. Despairing at what he had done, he hurled himself into the Anabainon river, which was renamed the Maiandros after him. Timolaos recounts this in Book 1 of his On Phrygia. Agathocles of Samos also records it in his Constitution of the Pessinountians.

Demostratos of Apameia records the following story. When Maiandros had just been elected general against the Pessinountians and had won a victory despite the odds, he distributed to his soldiers the offerings made to the Mother of the Gods. By the providence of the goddess, he was suddenly deprived of his right mind and killed his wife and son. A short time later he came to his senses and, regretting what he had done, threw himself into the river, which was renamed the Maiandros after him.

In this river, a stone is produced which is called, euphemistically, sophron (of right mind). If it is thrown into someone’s lap, it drives them insane and makes them murder a family member. Once they propitiate the Mother of the Gods they are released from their suffering. Demaratos recounts this in book 3 of his On Rivers. Archelaos also records it in book 1 of his On Stones.

Nearby is Mount Sipylos which is named after Sipylos, son of Agenor and Dioxippe. He killed his own mother without realizing who she was. Driven mad by the Erinyes, he fled to Mount Ceraunion where overwhelming grief caused him to end his life with a noose. By the providence of the gods the mountain was named Sipylos after him.

There is produced on this mountain a stone resembling a cylinder. Whenever pious sons find this stone and dedicate it in the sanctuary of the Mother of the Gods they never commit impious errors but love their fathers and show affection toward their family members. Agatharchides of Samos recounts this in book 4 of his On Stones and Demaratos records it more precisely in book 4 of his On Phrygia.

The Marsyas is a river in Phrygia near the city of Celainai. It used to be called Midas Spring for this reason. Once, when King Midas of Phrygia ventured into the more desert-like areas of his territory, he needed water. When he touched the earth it brought forth a golden spring whose water turned out to be gold. Feeling thirsty, and with his men in distress, he called upon Dionysos. The god heard him and made plentiful water rise up. After the Phrygians had drunk their fill, Midas named the river flowing from this source Midas Spring. It was renamed Marsyas for this reason. When Marsyas had been defeated by Apollo and his skin flayed, out of the flowing blood there were produced Satyrs as well as a river of the same name, called Marsyas. Alexander Cornelios recounts this in book 3 of his On Phrygia.

Euemeridas of Cnidos records the following story. The skin of Marsyas rotted away in time and fell to the ground. Then it fell into the source of the Midas Spring. A short time later, it was carried along downstream to a certain fisherman. Following the commandment of an oracle, Peisistratos of Lacedaimon founded a city beside the remains of the Satyr and named it Noricon from this incident. Noricos is the word for a flayed hide in the Phrygian dialect

There is produced in this river a plant called aulos (reed flute). If someone moves it to and fro in the wind it produces a musical melody. Dercyllos recounts this in book 1 of his On Satyrs.

Nearby is a mountain called Berecynthios. It got its name from Berecynthos, the first priest of the Mother of the Gods.

There is produced on this mountain a stone called machaira (knife) which is similar to iron. If an initiate of the goddess’s mysteries finds it, they become insane. Agatharchides recounts this in his On Phrygia.