KRIMISOS

KRIMISOS (Crimisus) was a river-god of western Sikelia (Sicily). He seduced the daughter of a Trojan settler in the guise of a dog.

The river Krimisos was located in the north-western Sikelia, entering the Mediterranean Sea near the Greek colony of Egesta. Other personified Sicilian rivers were the Symaithos (Symaethus), Akis (Acis) and Anapos.

PARENTS

Presumably OKEANOS & TETHYS

OFFSPRING

[1.1] AEGESTES (by Egeta) (Lycophron 960, Tzetzes on Lycophron)
[1.2] AKESTES (Virgil Aeneid 5.38)

CLASSICAL LITERATURE QUOTES

Lycophron, Alexandra 960 ff (trans. Mair) (Greek poet C3rd B.C.) :
"Of these [the daughters of Phoinodamas (Phoenodamas) of Troy] one the River Krimisos (Crimisus), in the likeness of a dog, took to be his bride : and she to the half-beast god bears a noble whelp [i.e. Aigestes (Acestes)], settler and founder of three places [i.e. Aigesta (Egesta), Eryx and Entella in Sicily]."

Aelian, Historical Miscellany 2. 33 (trans. Wilson) (Greek rhetorician C2nd to 3rd A.D.) :
"The nature of rivers, and their streams, are visible to us. But men who honour them, and have statues made of them, in some cases set up anthropomorphic statues, while others give them bovine form . . . And in Sikelia (Sicily) . . . the Egestans honour the Porpax, Krimisos (Crimisus), and Telmessos in the form of men."

Virgil, Aeneid 5. 35 ff (trans. Fairclough) (Roman epic C1st B.C.) :
"Acestes marvels at the coming of friendly ships [i.e. those of Aeneas and the Trojan refugees] and hastens towards them . . . Acestes, born of a Trojan mother to the river god Crimisus."

SOURCES

GREEK

• Lycophron, Alexandra - Greek Poetry C3rd B.C.
• Aelian, Historical Miscellany - Greek Rhetoric C2nd - 3rd A.D.

ROMAN

• Virgil, Aeneid - Latin Epic C1st B.C.

OTHER SOURCES

Other references not currently quoted here: Tzetzes on Lycophron, Servius on Virgil's Aeneid 1.550.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

A complete bibliography of the translations quoted on this page.