in fabulous history, wrestled with Hercules, Hercules, for no less a prize than Deianira, daughter to king Oenus; 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. Some explain this fable, by saying, That Achelous is a winding river of Greece, whose stream was so rapid, that it roared like a bull, and overflowed its banks; but Hercules, by bringing it into two channels, broke off one of the horns, and so restored plenty to the country. See the next article.

river of Acarnania; which rises in mount Pindus, and dividing Attolia from Acarnania, falls from north to south into the Sinus Corinthiacus. It was formerly called Thess, from its impetuosity, and king of rivers, (Homer.) The epithet Achelous is used for Aqueus, (Virgil;) the ancients calling all water Achelous, especially in oaths, vows, and sacrifices, according to Ephorus: Now called Affro Potamos. Rivers are by the ancient poets called Tauriformes, either from the bellowing of their waters, or from their ploughing the earth in their course: Hercules, restraining by dykes and mounds the inundations of the Achelous, is said to have broken off one of his horns, and to have brought back plenty to the country. See the preceding article.

rivulet of Thessaly, running by the city Lamia, (Strabo, Pausanias,) Also a river of Peloponnesus, running by Dyma, in Achaea, (Strabo;) and by mount Lyceum in Arcadia, (Pausanias.)

Acheri (Luxe d') a learned Benedictine of the congregation of St Maur, was born at St Quintin, in Picardy, in 1609; and made himself famous by printing several works, which till then were only in manuscript: particularly, The epistle attributed to St Barnabas; The works of Lanfrank, archbishop of Canterbury; A collection of scarce and curious pieces, under the title of Spicilegium, i.e. Gleanings, in thirteen volumes, quarto. The prefaces and notes, which he annexed to many of these pieces, shew him to be a man of genius and abilities. He had also some share in the pieces inserted in the first volumes of The acts of the saints of the order of St Bennet, the title whereof acquaints us that they were collected and published by him and father Mabillon. After a very retired life, till the age of 73, he died at Paris the 29th of April 1685, in the abbey of St Germain in the fields, where he had been librarian.