Alpheus 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 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.