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Greek Mythology >> Greek Gods >> Rustic Gods >> River Gods >> Amnisus (Amnisos)

AMNISOS

Greek Name

Αμνισος

Καιρατος

Transliteration

Amnisos

Kairatos

Latin Spelling

Amnisus

Caeratus

Translation

River Amnisus

River Caeratus

AMNISOS (Amnisus) was a river-god of the island of Krete (Crete) in the Greek Aegean.

The Amnisos River had its headwaters on the slopes of Mount Ida in central Krete. It flowed north, issuing into the Aegean Sea near the town of Knossos (Cnossus). The stream was also known as the Kairatos (Caeratus). Other personified Aegean island rivers included the Inopos of Delos, and Imbrasos of Samos.


PARENTS

Presumably OKEANOS & TETHYS

OFFSPRING

[1] THE AMNISIADES (Callimachus Hymn to Artemis)
[2] Perhaps KNOSSIA


CLASSICAL LITERATURE QUOTES

Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica 3. 879 ff (trans. Rieu) (Greek epic C3rd B.C.) :
"Artemis, standing in her golden chariot after she has bathed in the gently water of Parthenios or the streams of Amnisos (Amnisus), and driving off with her fast-trotting deer over the hills and far away to some rich-scented sacrifice. Attendant Nymphai (Nymphs) have gathered at the source of Amnisos or flocked in from the glens and upland springs to follow her; and fawning beasts whimper in homage and tremble as she passes by."

Callimachus, Hymn 3 to Artemis 12 ff (trans. Mair) (Greek poet C3rd B.C.) :
"[The young Artemis addresses her father Zeus :] `And give me sixty Okeanines (daughters of Okeanos) for my choir--all nine years old, all maidens yet ungirdled; and give me for handmaidens twenty Nymphai Amnisides (Nymphs of the Amnisos) who shall tend well my buskins, and, when I shoot no more at lynx or stag, shall tend my swift hounds."

Callimachus, Hymn 3 to Artemis 40 ff :
"And the maiden [Artemis] fared unto the white moutain of Krete (Crete) leafy with woods; thence unto Okeanos (Oceanus); and she chose many Nymphai (Nymphs) all nine years old, all maidens yet ungirdled. And the River Kairatos (Caeratus) [Amnisos] was glad exceedingly."


SOURCES

GREEK

BIBLIOGRAPHY

A complete bibliography of the translations quoted on this page.