Dē fluviīs (Latin for "concerning rivers"), also called Dē fluviōrum et montium nōminibus et dē iīs quae in illīs inveniuntur ("concerning the names of rivers and mountains and those things which are found in them") or the Greek Περὶ ποταμῶν καὶ ὀρῶν ἐπωνυμίας, is a Greek text by Pseudo-Plutarch written during the 2nd century CE.[1] It discusses twenty-five rivers in Greece, Turkey (called Asia), India, Gaul, Egypt, Scythia, and Armenia. The chapters typically start with a myth about the river, include information about local flora and stones, and end with details about a nearby mountain.

Scholars today classify it as paradoxography, or even a parody of paradoxography.[2]

Notably, Pseudo-Plutarch describes 22 of the 25 rivers as deriving their names from people who committed suicide in them. Six of the rivers were renamed twice due to suicide. Several of the mountains are also said to have gotten their names from suicides.

Most of the plants and stones described have mystical qualities to them, from warding off spirits and gods, to causing and healing madness, to exposing liars and thieves.

Sources are cited throughout the book including the Treatise of Rivers by Achelaus, the Second Book of Rivers by Sostratus, the Third Book of Mountains by Dercyllus, the Third Book of Plants by Ctesiphon, and the History of Boeotia by Leo of Byzantium. A full list is given below.

Authorship

The work is considered pseudepigrapha, meaning written by someone other than the attributed author, Plutarch. It is only preserved by the 9th century codex Palatinus gr. Heidelbergensis 398, which includes a marginal note stating, "This is pseudepigraphic, for the intellectual level and diction are far from the genius of Plutarch. Unless he might be some other Plutarch."[2][3]

Rivers

River Location Named for Someone Who Threw Themselves in the River Mountains Plants Stones/Other Reference
Hydaspes India Yes Elephas [river] "like a heliotrope" used to prevent sunburn [river] precious stone called "lychnis" which is found during the waxing moon while pipers are piping [4]
Ismenus Boeotia Yes Cithaeron — — [5]
Hebrus Thrace Yes Pangaeus
  • [river] "not unlike origanumn" burned and the smoke inhaled until they fall asleep
  • [mountain] called "harp" because it grew from the blood of Orpheus; sounds like a harp when played during sacrifices to Bacchus
 — [6]
Ganges India Yes Anatole [river] "resembling bugloss" the juice of which is sprinkled on tiger's dens, which causes the tigers to sleep to death — [7]
Phasis Scythia Yes Caucasus
  • [river] reed called "leucophyllus" which when scattered on the floor keeps wives chaste and gets evildoers to confess their deeds and intentions
  • [mountain] called "Prometheus" which Medea used to protect Jason from her father
 — [8]
Arar Gallia Celtica Yes Lugdunum — [river] fish called "Clupaea" which changes colors with the moon, and which has a stone in its head that can cure "quartan agues" [9]
Pactolus Lydia Yes, twice Tmolus [river] purple flower called "chrysopolis" used to test the purity of gold
  • [river] stone called "preserver of the fields" which causes thieves to break their own necks
  • [mountain] pumice-like stone which changes color 4 times a day, and only virgins can see; it protects them from rape
 [10]
Lycormas Aetolia Yes Myenus
  • [river] called "sarissa" which helps people with poor vision
  • [mountain] flower called the "white violet" which gives a person the power to kill their step-mother by speaking it
 — [11]
Maeander Asia (Turkey) Yes Sipylus —
  • [river] stone called "sophron" that makes a person go mad and murder their family
  • [mountain] stone like a cylinder that obedient children take to the temple of Rhea
 [12]
Marsyas Phrygia No Berecyntus [river] called "the pipe" which sounds like a pipe in the wind [mountain] a stone called "machaera" which causes a person to go mad if found during the mysteries of Rhea [13]
Strymon Thrace Yes Rhodope and Haemus —
  • [river] stone called "pausilypus" which eases grief
  • [mountain] black, humanoid stones called "philadelphi" which waste away when separated
 [14]
Sagaris Phrygia Yes Ballenaeus —
  • [river] stone called "autoglyphus" or "self-engraved" with the Mother of the Gods naturally carved on it
  • [river] stone called "aster" which shines at midnight in the end of autumn
 [15]
Scamander Troas Yes Ida (formerly Gargarus) [river] herb with rattling seedpods that repel apparitions and gods [mountain] stone called "cryphius" which can only be found during the mystery rituals of a god [16]
Tanais Scythia Yes Brixaba
  • [river] called "halinda" used to withstand cold
  • [mountain] called "phryxa" or "hating the wicked" which protects sons from their step-mothers
 [river] a crystal which causes the bearer to be elected king upon the king's death [17]
Thermodon Scythia Probably Text of codex incomplete — — [18]
Nile Egypt Yes, twice Argyllus —
  • [river] stone like a bean that stops dogs barking and drives out evil spirits
  • [river] stone called "kolletes" used to build retaining walls
 [19]
Eurotas Laconia Yes, twice Taygetus [mountain] called "Charisia" which women wear to increase male desire for them [river] stone called "thrasydeilos, or rash and timorous" which jumps up at a trumpet sound, but sinks on hearing the name Athenians [20]
Inachus Argos Yes, twice Mycenae, Apesantus, Coccygium, and Athenaeum
  • [river] called "cynura" used to cause abortions
  • [river] called "selene" used to ward off biting and stinging insects
  • [mountain] tree called "paliurus" which snares any bird except the cuckoo
  • [mountain] root called "Adrastea" which causes women to go mad
  • [river] stone like beryl which causes liars' hands to blacken
  • [mountain] crow-colored stone called "corybas" which wards against apparitions
 [21]
Alpheus Arcadia Yes, twice Cronium [river] called "cenchritis" which cures madness [mountain] stone called "the cylinder" which rolls down whenever there's lightning [22]
Euphrates Parthia Yes, twice Drimylus [river] called "axalla" which cures fits of "quartan-ague"
  • [river] stone called "aetites" which allows for nearly painless childbirth
  • [mountain] precious stone like a "sardonyx"
 [23]
Caicus Mysia Yes Teuthras
  • [river] "a sort of poppy" which grows stones like harps that are thrown into a field, and if they fly away, a bounteous harvest is coming
  • [river] "elipharmacus" which stops bleeding
 [mountain] stone called "the resister" which can cure leprosy when mixed with wine [24]
Achelous Aetolia Yes Calydon
  • [river] called "zaclon" which can remove the alcohol from wine
  • [mountain] called "myops" which causes a person to lose sight
 [river] a stone called "linurgus" which turns linen white [25]
Araxes Armenia Yes Diorphus
  • [river] called "araxa" which means "virgin hater" because if found by a virgin, they will bleed and die
  • [mountain] tree like a "pomegranate-tree" with fruit that tastes like grapes; if you don't name Mars, the fruit will turn green again in your hand
 [river] black stone called "sicyonus" which can be used as proxy when human sacrifice is required [26]
Tigris Armenia No Gauran [mountain] "like to wild barley" which guards against all sickness except death [river] white stone called "myndan" which protects against wild beasts [27]
Indus India Yes Lilaeus [river] "not unlike to bugloss" remedy against the "king's evil"
  • [river] stone called [text missing] which prevents a virgin from being deflowered
  • [mountain] black stone called "clitoris" people wear in their ears
 [28]

Works cited in-text

Some 49 different writers are cited with 65 works between them, including 13 on rivers, 9 on stones, 7 histories, and 12 on international relations. Five are listed as the thirteenth volume on that topic by that author. Based on the titles, there would be at least 204 works by these authors.

In comparison, Plutarch's Alexander, a much longer work, cites around 25 sources by name.[29] The authors cited in De fluviis seem to very conveniently come in rashes of similar syllables, e.g. Ctesias (x2), Ctesiphon, Ctesippus. The text itself is highly repetitive. These facts among others cause scholars to doubt heavily that any of the works and authors cited ever existed.[30][2]

However, it does provide insight into the mind of a 2nd century Greek writer, shedding some light on what they would have considered legitimate. If the intended genre was parody, then it gives insight on what a writer from the period found humorous.

Author Books Chapters
Achelaus
  • Treatise of Rivers
  • First Book of Rivers
  • First Book of Stones
 I, VIII
Agatharchides the Samian
  • Fourth Book of Stones
  • Phrygian Relations
 IX, X
Agatho the Samian Second Book of Scythian Relations XIV
Agathocles the Milesian History of Rivers XVIII
Agathocles the Samian Commonwealth of Pessinus IX
Alexander Cornelius Third Book of Phrygian Relations X
Antisthenes Third Book of Meleagris XXII
Aretazes Phrygian Relations XII
Aristobulus First Book of Stones XIV
Aristonymus Third Book of [text missing] XXIV
Aristotle Fourth Book of Rivers XXV
Caemaron Tenth Book of the Affairs of India IV
Callisthenes Third Book of Hunting IV
Callisthenes the Sybarite Thirteenth Book of Gallic Relations VI
Chrysermus
  • History of India
  • Third Book of Rivers
  • Thirteenth Book of Rivers
 I, VII, XX
Chrysermus the Corinthian First Book of his Peloponnesiacs XVIII
Cleanthes
  • Third Book of the Wars of the Gods
  • First Book of Mountains
 V, XVII
Clitonymus Third Book of Thracian Relations III
Clitophon Thirteenth Book of the Building of Cities VI, VII
Clitophon the Rhodian First Book of Indian Relations XXV
Ctesias First Book of Rivers XIX
Ctesias the Cnidian Second Book of Mountains XXI
Ctesias the Ephesian First Book of the Acts of Perseus XVIII
Ctesiphon
  • Third Book of Plants
  • First Book of Trees
  • Thirteenth Book of Trees
 XIV, XVIII, XXIII
Ctesippus Second Book of Scythian Relations V
Damaratus
  • Third Book of Rivers
  • Fourth Book of Phrygia
 IX
Demodocus First Book of the History of Hercules XVIII
Demostratus of Apamea Second Book of Rivers IX, XIII
Dercyllus
  • Third Book of Mountains
  • First Book of Satyrics
  • First Book of Stones
  • Third Book of Aetolics
 I, VIII, X, XIX, XXII
Diocles the Rhodian Aetolics XXII
Dorotheus the Chaldaean Second Book of Stones XXIII
Heraclitus the Sicyonian Second Book of Stones XIII
Hermesianax of Cyprus Second Book of his Phrygian Relations II, XII, XXIV
Hermogenes (borrowed from Sosthenes) XVII
Jason of Byzantium Thracian Histories XI
Leo of Byzantium
  • History of Boeotia
  • Third Book of Rivers
 II, XXIV
Nicanor the Samian Second Book of Rivers XVII
Nicias Mallotes Book of Stones XX
Plesimachus Second Book of the Returns of the Heroes XVIII
Sosthenes the Cnidian Thirteenth Book of Iberian Relations XVI
Sostratus
  • Second Book of Rivers
  • First Collection of Fabulous History
 II, XXIV
Theophilus First Book of Stones XXIV
Thrasyllus Third Book of Stones XI
Thrasyllus the Mendesian
  • Thracian Histories
  • Relation of Egypt
 XVI
Timagenes the Syrian (borrowed an argument from Callisthenes the Sybarite) VI
Timagoras First Book of Rivers XXI
Timolaus First Book of Phrygian Relations IX
Timotheus
  • Eleventh Book of Rivers
  • Argolica
 III, XVIII

References

  1. ↑ Plutarch (2003). Calderón Dorda, Esteban (ed.). Fiumi e Monte. Italy: M. D' Auria. pp. 30–44. ISBN 9788870922240.
  2. 1 2 3 Banchich, Thomas (2010). "Pseudo-Plutarch: About Rivers" (PDF). Pseudo-P Revised. Canisius College. Retrieved 2023-08-22.
  3. ↑ "Cod. Pal. graec. 398 Sammelhandschrift". Heidelberg historic literature – digitized. 900. Retrieved 2023-08-22.
  4. ↑ "Pseudo-Plutarch, De fluviis, I. HYDASPES".
  5. ↑ "Pseudo-Plutarch, De fluviis, II. ISMENUS".
  6. ↑ "Pseudo-Plutarch, De fluviis, III. HEBRUS".
  7. ↑ "Pseudo-Plutarch, De fluviis, IV. GANGES".
  8. ↑ "Pseudo-Plutarch, De fluviis, V. PHASIS".
  9. ↑ "Pseudo-Plutarch, De fluviis, VI. ARAR".
  10. ↑ "Pseudo-Plutarch, De fluviis, VII. PACTOLUS".
  11. ↑ "Pseudo-Plutarch, De fluviis, VIII. LYCORMAS".
  12. ↑ "Pseudo-Plutarch, De fluviis, IX. MAEANDER".
  13. ↑ "Pseudo-Plutarch, De fluviis, X. MARSYAS".
  14. ↑ "Pseudo-Plutarch, De fluviis, XI. STRYMON".
  15. ↑ "Pseudo-Plutarch, De fluviis, XII. SAGARIS".
  16. ↑ "Pseudo-Plutarch, De fluviis, XIII. SCAMANDER".
  17. ↑ "Pseudo-Plutarch, De fluviis, XIV. TANAIS".
  18. ↑ "Pseudo-Plutarch, De fluviis, XV. THERMODON".
  19. ↑ "Pseudo-Plutarch, De fluviis, XVI. NILE".
  20. ↑ "Pseudo-Plutarch, De fluviis, XVII. EUROTAS".
  21. ↑ "Pseudo-Plutarch, De fluviis, XVIII. INACHUS".
  22. ↑ "Pseudo-Plutarch, De fluviis, XIX. ALPHEUS".
  23. ↑ "Pseudo-Plutarch, De fluviis, XX. EUPHRATES".
  24. ↑ "Pseudo-Plutarch, De fluviis, XXI. CAICUS".
  25. ↑ "Pseudo-Plutarch, De fluviis, XXII. ACHELOUS".
  26. ↑ "Pseudo-Plutarch, De fluviis, XXIII. ARAXES".
  27. ↑ "Pseudo-Plutarch, De fluviis, XXIV. TIGRIS".
  28. ↑ "Pseudo-Plutarch, De fluviis, XXV. INDUS".
  29. ↑ Powell, J. Enoch (1939). "The Sources of Plutarch's Alexander". The Journal of Hellenic Studies. 59 (2): 229–240. doi:10.2307/626595. JSTOR 626595. S2CID 163979537 – via JSTOR.
  30. ↑ Hercher, Rudolph (1851). Plutarchi: Libellus de fluviis (in Latin). Weidmannsche Buchhandlung. pp. 20–30.
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