Chap. 19.] DEADLY WATERS. " 481 



a more fatal nature. Ctesias states in his writings, that there 

 is a spring in Armenia, the fishes in which are black, ^^ and, if 

 used as food, productive of instantaneous death. I have heard 

 the same, too, with reference to the waters near the sources 

 of the river Danuvius," until a spring is reached which is 

 near its main channel, and bej^ond which this poisonous kind 

 of fish is not to be found. Hence it is that this spot is gene- 

 rally looked upon as the source of the river. The same, too, is 

 reported of the Lake of the Nymphs, in Lydia. Near the river 

 Pheneus, in Achaia, there flows from the rocks a spring known 

 as the Styx, the waters of which, as already'^ stated, are in- 

 stantly fatal. And not only this, but there are also small fish 

 in it, Theophrastus says, which are as deadly as the water, 

 a thing that is not the case with the fish of any other poison- 

 ous springs, Theopompus says, that at the town of Cychri,* 

 in Thrace, the waters are deadly ; and Lycus states, that at 

 Leontium'^ there is a spring, the waters of which are fatal at 

 the end of a couple of days to those who drink thereof. Yarro 

 speaks also of a spring upon Mount Soracte, some four feet in 

 breadth, the waters of which bubble forth at sunrise, as though 

 they were boiling ; birds, he says, which only taste thereof, 

 fall dead close by. 



And then, besides, we meet with this insidious circumstance, 

 that in some cases, waters of this nature are inviting even in 

 their appearance ; those at Nonacris, in Arcadia, for example, 

 the water of which fountain possesses no apparent quality to 

 excite mistrust, though, owing to its intense coldness, it is 

 generally looked upon as highly injurious, seeing that it petri- 

 fies as it flows. It is otherwise with the waters of Tempe, 

 in Thessaly, their baneful properties inspiring universal terror, 

 and possessing the property of corroding copper even and 

 iron, it is said. This stream runs a short distance only, as 

 already stated ;'® and it is truly marvellous that, according 

 to general report, the banks of its source'^ are surrounded with 

 the roots of a wild carob,®^^ always covered with purple flowers, 



'* Ajasson thinks that he means, grey. He remarks also, that it is a 

 matter of doubt whether there are any fishes that are poisonous. 



■'^ The Danube. ''^ In B. ii. c. 106, see also B. xsx. c. 53. 



'^' See B. iii. c. 14, and B. xviii. c. 21. 



'« In B. iv. c. 15. 



"'•* He alludes, according to Dalechamps, to the Eurotas, a tributary, and 

 not the source, of the Peneus. See B. iv. c. 8. ^^ " Siliqua." 



VOL. V. II 



