ACHELOUS, in Fabulous History, wrestled with Hercules, for no less a prize than Dejanira, daughter of King Eneus; but as Achelous had the power of assuming all shapes, the contest was long dubious. At last, as he took that of a bull, Hercules tore off one of his horns, so that he was forced to submit, and to redeem it by giving the conqueror the horn of Amalthea, the same with the cornucopia, or horn of plenty; which Hercules, having filled with a variety of fruits, consecrated to Jupiter. Strabo interprets this fable as referring to the river Achelous, whose stream was so rapid, that it roared like a bull, and overflowed its banks; but Hercules, by confining it with embankments, broke off one of the horns, and so restored plenty to the country. Tauriformis is an ancient poetical epithet for rivers. See the next article.