Styx, River Greek The principle river, or system of rivers, in Hades, the Greek Underworld (1); named for the goddess who carried the same name, Styx.

Styx, River Greek The principle river, or system of rivers, in Hades, the Greek Underworld (1); named for the goddess who carried the same name, Styx. The river formed the boundary between Earth and the land of the dead. The Olympian Gods made oaths to the waters of the Styx River. Whenever the gods wanted to make a strenuous, binding oath, they sent the goddess Iris to the Styx and Iris brought back a sacred cup of the river's water. The god would make the oath then drink the water. If the god or goddess broke that oath, he or she would fall into a deep sleep or lose his or her voice, for nine years. Sources very on the details of the penalty for breaking the oath. The River Styx contained magical powers, good and bad. It was the river in which the goddess Thetis dipped her infant son Achilles in an effort to make him invulnerable to all weapons, though she missed his heel and it was there that an arrow later struck and killed the great Trojan hero. The waters of the Styx corroded gold and, when sprinkled on the island of Rhodes, turned Rhodes barren.