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Scamander. Now Scamandro.
Scamander is a River of Troas, which was formerly call'd Xanthus, but chang'd its Name upon this Occasi∣on. Scamander the Son of Coribas and Demodice, having suddainly expos'd himself while the Mysteries of Rhea were solemnizing, immediately ran mad, and being hurry'd away by his own Fury to the River Xanthus, flung himself into the Stream, which from thence was call'd Scamander.
In this River grows an Herb, like a Vetch, that bears a Cod with Berries ratling in it when they are ripe, whence it deriv'd the Name of Sistron, or the Rattle: This Herb, whoever has in his Possession, fears not the Ap∣paritions either of Gods or D••vils; as Demostratus writes in his Second Book of Rivers.
Nere to this River lyes the Mountain Ida, formerly Gargarus; on the Top of which stand the Altars of Ju∣piter, and the Mother of the Gods. But it was call'd Ida upon this occasion. Aegysthus, who descended from Disphorus, falling passionately in Love with the Nymph Ida, obtain'd her good-will, and begat the Idaean Dactyly, or Priests of the Mother of the Gods. After which, Ida running mad in the Temple of Rhea, Egysti∣us, in remembrance of the Love which he bare her, call'd the Mountain by her Name.
In this Mountain grows a Stone call'd Cryphius, as being never to be found, but when the Mysteries of the Gods are solemnizing; as Heraclitus the Sicyonian writes in his Second Book of Stones.