PACTO´LUS
PACTO´LUS (
Πακτωλός), a small river of Lydia, which flows down from Mount Tmolus in a northern direction, and, after passing on the west of Sardis, empties itself into the Hermus. (
Hdt. 5.101; Xenoph.
Cyrop. 6.2.1, 7.3.4,
Ages. i. 30; Strab. xii. pp. 554, 521, xiii. p. 625, foll.;
Ptol. 5.2.6;
Plin. Nat. 5.30.)
In ancient times the Pactolus had carried in its mud, it is said, a great quantity of small particles of gold-dust, which were carefully collected, and were believed to have been the source of the immense wealth possessed by Croesus and his ancestors; but in Strabo's time gold-dust was no longer found in it.
The gold of this river, which was hence called Chrysorrhoas, is often spoken of by the poets. (
Soph. Phil. 392;
Dionys. Perieg. 831; Hom.
Hymn. in Del. 249;
Verg. A. 10.142 ; Horat.
Epod. 15.20;
Ov. Met. 11.85, &c.; Senec.
Phoen. 604;
Juv. 14.298; Silius It. 1.158.)
The little stream, which is only 10 feet in breadth and scarcely 1 foot deep, still carries along with it a quantity of a reddish mud, and is now called
Sarabat. [
L.S]
