Pactōlus
(
Πακτωλός). A small but celebrated river of Lydia, rising
on Mount Tmolus, and flowing past Sardis into the Hermus. The golden sands of Pactolus have
passed into a proverb, and were one of the sources of the wealth of ancient Lydia (
Herod.v. 101;
Verg. Aen. x.
142). For the fabulous origin of the gold, see
Midas.