IX. MAEANDER.
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.
[p. 489]
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.
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