XIX. ALPHEUS.
APHEUS is a river of Arcadia, running by the walls of
Pisa, a city of Olympia. It was formerly called Stymphelus,
from Stymphelus the son of Mars and Dormothea; who,
having lost his brother Alcmaeon, threw himself for grief
into the river Nyctimus, for that reason called Stymphelus.
Afterwards it was called Alpheus upon this occasion.
Alpheus, one of those that derive their descent from the
Sun, contending with his brother Cercaphus about the
kingdom, slew him. For which being chased away and
pursued by the Furies, he flung himself into the river
Nyctimus, which after that was called Alpheus.
In this river grows a plant which is called cenchritis,
resembling a honey-comb, the decoction of which, being
given by the physicians to those that are mad, cures them
of their frenzy;–as Ctesias relates in his First Book of
Rivers.
Near to this river lies the mountain Cronium, so called
upon this occasion. After the Giants' war, Saturn, to avoid
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the threats of Jupiter, fled to the mountain Cturus, and
called it Cronium from his own name. Where after he
had absconded for some time, he took his opportunity, and
retired to Caucasus in Scythia.
In this mountain is found a stone, which is called the
cylinder, upon this occasion. For as oft as Jupiter either
thunders or lightens, so often this stone through fear rolls
down from the top of the mountain;—as Dercyllus writes
in his First Book of Stones.