XXIV. TIGRIS.
TIGRIS is a river of Armenia flowing into Araxes and the
lake of Arsacis, formerly called Sollax, which signifies
running and carried downward. It was called Tigris upon
this occasion.
Bacchus, through the design of Juno running mad, wandered over sea and land, desirous to be quit of his distemper. At length coming into Armenia, and not being able
to pass the river before-mentioned, he called upon Jupiter;
who, listening to his prayers, sent him a tiger that carried
him safely over the water. In remembrance of which
accident, he called the river Tigris;—as Theophilus relates in his First Book of Stones. But Hermesianax the
Cyprian tells the story thus:—
Bacchus falling in love with the Nymph Alphesiboea,
and being able to vanquish her neither with presents nor
entreaties, turned himself into the shape of the river Tigris,
[p. 508]
and overcoming his beloved by fear, took her away,
and carrying her over the river, begat a son whom he called
Medus; who growing up in years, in remembrance of the
accident he called the river by the name of Tigris;—as
Aristonymus relates in his Third Book . . .
In this river a stone is to be found, called myndan, very
white; which whoever possesses shall never be hurt by
wild beasts;—as Leo of Byzantium relates in his Third
Book of Rivers.
Near to this river lies the mountain Gauran; so called
from Gauran the son of the satrap Roxanes; who, being
extremely religious and devout towards the Gods, received this reward of his piety, that of all the Persians he
only lived three hundred years; and dying at last without
being ever afflicted with any disease, was buried upon the
top of the mountain Gauran, where he had a sumptuous
monument erected to his memory. Afterwards, by the
providence of the Gods, the name of the mountain was
changed to that of Mausorus.
In this mountain grows an herb, which is like to wild
barley. This herb the natives heat over the fire, and
anointing themselves with the oil of it, are never sick, till
the necessity of dying overtakes them;—as Sostratus
writes in his First Collection of Fabulous History.
