Greek Mythology >> Greek Gods >> Rustic Gods >> River Gods >> Euphrates

EUPHRATES

Greek Name

Ευφρατης

Transliteration

Euphratês

Latin Spelling

Euphrates

Translation

River Euphrates

River-god Euphrates | Greco-Roman mosaic from Zeugma C1st-2nd A.D. | Gaziantep Museum of Archaeology — River-god Euphrates, Greco-Roman mosaic from Zeugma C1st-2nd A.D., Gaziantep Museum of Archaeology

EUPHRATES was a river-god of Assyria in west Asia (modern Turkey and Iraq).

The river Euphrates flowed south from the highlands of eastern Anatolia through the heart of Assyria. Other important rivers of the east were the Tigris of Assyria, Orontes of Syria, and the Ganges and Hydaspes of India.

PARENTS

OKEANOS & TETHYS (Hyginus Pref)

CLASSICAL LITERATURE QUOTES

Pseudo-Hyginus, Preface (trans. Grant) (Roman mythographer C2nd A.D.) :
"From Oceanus and Tethys [were born] the Oceanides . . . Of the same descent Rivers : Strymon, Nile, Euphrates, Tanais, Indus, Cephisus, Ismenus, Axenus, Achelous, Simoeis, Inachus, Alpheus, Thermodon, Scamandrus, Tigris, Maeandrus, Orontes."

Nonnus, Dionysiaca 43. 400 ff (trans. Rouse) (Greek epic C5th A.D.) :
"[When Beroe, goddess of Beruit, wed Poseidon :] Persian Euphrates gave the girl the webspinner's embroidered wares [i.e. silk]."