Book 8
18.2
Epimenides of Crete, also, represented Styx as the daughter of Ocean, not, however, as the wife of Pallas, but as bearing Echidna to Peiras, whoever Peiras may be. But it is Homer who introduces most frequently the name of Styx into his poetry. In the oath of Hera he says :—Witness now to this be Earth, and broad Heaven above,And the water of Styx down-flowing.Hom. Il. 15.36-37These verses suggest that the poet had seen the water of the Styx trickling down. Again in the list of those who came with GuneusHom. Il. 2.751 he makes the river Titaresius receive its water from the Styx.
18.3
He also represents the Styx as a river in Hades, and Athena says that Zeus does not remember that because of her he kept Heracles safe throughout the labours imposed by Eurystheus.For if I had known this in my shrewd heartWhen he sent him to Hades the gate-keeper,To fetch out of Erebus the hound of hateful Hades,He would never have escaped the sheer streams of' the river Styx.Homer, unknown location.
18.4
The water trickling down the cliff by the side of Nonacris falls first to a high rock, through which it passes and then descends into the river Crathis. Its water brings death to all, man and beast alike. It is said too that it once brought death even upon goats, which drank of the water first; later on all the wonderful properties of the water were learnt.
