March 22: World Water Day

Acheloös is one of those lesser known gods, but whose name was exclaimed by the ancient Greeks on a daily basis. He would have been the son of the primary god Okeanos and the earth mother Gaia, and was seen as the father of all rivers and wells. He played such an important role in the Greek world view, that his name became synonymous with fresh water. You’d think that fathering and caring for all this offspring would have kept him busy, but as usual, he had set his eyes on the one woman who wasn’t interested: the Kalydonian princess Deianeira. Because her father was reluctant to give his approval for a wedding, he attempted to kidnap her, but was interrupted by Herakles. Acheloös was a skilled shapeshifter, and fought Herakles in the form of a human, a snake and a bull. In neither shape was he a match for the demigod though, and when Herakles broke off one of his horns, he gave up. Herakles went on to marry Deianeira, but it wouldn’t bring the marital bliss she’d hoped for. I bet she asked herself more than once, if marrying Acheloös and mothering some springs wouldn’t have been the better choice.

Hercules and Acheloös, crater, Musée du Louvre, Paris, France

Hercules and Acheloös, stamnos, British Museum, London, UK