Dear Friends,
This one was very difficult for me but a lot of fun–I hope I got it right!
Ἀχ 444. This scholium, after mentioning that Acheloios and Terpsichore are the parents of the sirens, further attests to the story that the river is named after a real person who drowned in it (cf. e.g. Ax ###). It also describes Acheloios as γλυκύτατος (sweetest), indicative of his ultimate status vis-à-vis all other rivers.
Scholia in Lycophronem (scholia vetera et recentiora partim Isaac et Joannis Tzetzae) 671.1bis-
13 (ed. Sheer)
Τερψιχόρης τῆς μούσης καὶ Ἀχελώου τοῦ ποταμοῦ θυγατέρας
ἔφημεν τὰς σειρῆνας. ὁ δὲ Ἀχελῶος ὁ γλυκύτατος τῶν ἁπάντων
ποταμῶν μεταξὺ Αἰτωλίας καὶ Κουρήτιδος τῆς καὶ Ἀκαρνανίας
καὶ Ἀμβρακίας, νῦν δὲ Νικοπόλεως ῥέει ὅθεν οὕτως
εἶπεν ὡς ἀμφιβάλλων, εἴτε Αἰτωλίας, μᾶλλον εἴτε Ἀκαρνανίας
ἐστὶν ὁ Ἀχελῶος. φασὶ δέ τινες τοὺς Ἀκαρνᾶνας πρῶτον
Κουρῆτας καλεῖσθαι. Ἀχελῷος δὲ καλεῖται ἀπὸ Ἀχελῴου
τινὸς ἐν αὐτῷ πνιγέντος. ἢ ὅτι τὸ ὕδωρ αὐτοῦ ἐν τοῖς τραύ-
μασι καὶ ταῖς ὀδύναις ὠφέλιμόν ἐστιν. Ἀχελῷος οὖν ὁ τὰ
ἄχη λύων καὶ θεραπεύων καλῶς.
Molinari:
He [Lycophron] established that the Sirens [are] the daughters of the Muse Terpsichore and of the river Acheloios. Acheloios is the sweetest of all rivers, flowing between Aetolia and Kuretidos and Acarnania and Ambracia (now Nikopeleos), whence it is in this manner he spoke about them, insofar as Acheloios is once in Aetolia [and] once in great Acarnania. Some say Acarnania was first called Kurete, and Acheloios is named after a certain Acheloios who himself drowned in it. [Others say] that, because the water there is beneficial to wounds and pains, Acheloios is therefore the one [who] heals and relieves pain well.
Themata: Consorts; Healing; Lineage; Location: Aetolia/Akarnania; Person; Sirens, Status
Note: Is it the region of Akarnania and Ambracia that is now called Nikopeleos? T
Also, would “determined” be a better translation for ἔφημεν? Perhaps even “He arrived at the conclusion that…”
Any help is much appreciated!
Nick