Cephissus
godRiver god of the Cephissus, the principal river of Attica and Boeotia.
The Myth
Cephissus was among the most important river gods of central Greece, his waters flowing through the sacred plain near Delphi and past Athens itself. He was father of Narcissus by the nymph Liriope, making him indirectly responsible for one of mythology's most famous cautionary tales. Worshippers offered hair clippings to Cephissus as a rite of passage, and his waters were considered purifying.
Children
Symbols
Fun Fact
The Cephissus still flows through modern Athens, though much of it now runs underground beneath the city's streets.
Explore Further
Narcissus
heroA beautiful youth who rejected all lovers and fell in love with his own reflection in a pool....
Athens
placeAthens was the city sacred to Athena, birthplace of democracy, philosophy, drama, and Western...
Delphi
placeThe most important oracle in ancient Greece, where the Pythia delivered Apollo's prophecies. The...
Oceanus
titanThe great Titan who personified the vast river believed to encircle the entire world. Father of all...
Tethys
titanTethys was the Titaness of fresh water — the great nurse of all life, whose thousands of river and...
Alpheus
godRiver god of the Alpheus, the largest river in the Peloponnese.
Achelous
godAchelous was the god of the mightiest river in Greece and father of the Sirens — he wrestled...
Aeolus
godAeolus kept winds in a leather bag on his floating island.
Amphitrite (Goddess)
godAmphitrite co-ruled the oceans with Poseidon.
Aphrodite
godGoddess of love and beauty, born from the sea foam. Aphrodite's power to inspire desire was so...
Apollo
godGod of light, music, poetry, and prophecy. Apollo embodied the Greek ideal of youthful masculine...
Apollo (Light)
godApollo was the most complex Olympian — god of light, music, poetry, prophecy, healing, plague, and...