Achelōus

, the son of Ocean us or Sol by Terra or Tethys, god of the river of the same name in Epirus. As one of the numerous suitors of Dejanira daughter of Œneus he entered the lists against Hercules and being inferior, changed himself into a serpent, and afterwards into an ox. Hercules broke off one of his horns, and Achelous being defeated, retired in disgrace into his bed of waters. The broken horn was taken up by the nymphs, and filled with fruits and flowers, and after it had for some time adorned the hand of the conqueror, it was presented to the godde of plenty. Some say that he was changed into a river after the victory of Hercules. This river is in Epirus, and rises in mount Pindus, and after dividing A carn an i a from Ætolia, falls into the Ionian sea. The sand and mud which it carries down, have formed some islands at its mouth. This river is said by some to have sprung from the earth after the deluge. Hero dot us , bk. 2 , ch. 10 .— Strabo , bk. 10 .— Ovid , Metamorphoses , bk. 8 , fable 5; bk. 9 , fable 1; Amores , bk. 3 , poem 6, li. 35 .— Apollo dor us , bk. 1 , chs. 3 & 7; bk. 2 , ch. 7 .— Hyginus , preface to fables.――A river of Arcadia falling into the Alpheus.――Another flowing from mount Sipylus. Pausanias , bk. 8 , ch. 38 .