Maeander is a river of Asia, formerly called the Returner. For of all
rivers in the world it is the only stream which, taking its rise from
its own fountain, seems to run back to its own head.
It is called Maeander from Maeander, the son of Cercaphus and Anaxibia,
who, waging war with the Pessinuntines, made a vow to the Mother of the
Gods, that if he obtained the victory, he would sacrifice the first
that came to congratulate him for his good success. Now it happened
that the first that met him were his son Archelaus, his mother, and
his sister. All which, though so nearly related to him, he offered in
sacrifice to the satisfaction of his vow. But then no less grieved for
what he had done, he cast himself into the river, which from this
accident was afterwards called by his own name Maeander;—as Timolaus
tells us in his First Book of Phrygian Relations. Agathocles the Samian
also makes mention of this story, in his Commonwealth of Pessinus.
But Demostratus of Apamea relates the story thus: Maeander being a
second time elected general against the Pessinuntines, and obtaining
the victory quite contrary to his expectation, gave to his soldiers the
offerings due to the Mother of the Gods. At which the Goddess being
offended, she deprived him of his reason to that degree, that in the
height of his madness he slew both his wife and his son. But coming
somewhat to himself and repenting of what he had done, he threw himself
into the river, which by his name was called Maeander.
In this river there is a certain stone, which by Antiphrasis is called
sophron, or the sober-stone; which if you drop into the bosom of
any man, it presently makes him mad to that degree as to murder his
nearest relations, but having once atoned the Mother of the Gods, he
is presently restored to his wits;—as Damaratus testifies in his Third
Book of Rivers. And Archelaus makes mention of the same in his First
Book of Stones.
Near to this river lies the mountain Sipylus, so called from Sipylus
the son of Agenor and Dioxippe. For he having killed his mother by
mistake, and being haunted by the Furies, retired to the Ceraunian
mountain, and there hanged himself for grief. After which, by the
providence of the Gods, the mountain was called Sipylus.
In this mountain grows a stone that resembles a cylinder, which when
children that are obedient to their parents find, they lay it up in
the temple of the Mother of the Gods. Nor do they ever transgress out
of impiety; but reverence their parents, and are obedient to their
superior relations;—as Agatharchides the Samian relates in his Fourth
Book of Stones, and Demaratus in his Fourth Book of Phrygia.