RHINE, a large river of Germany, famous both in ancient and modern history. It rises among the Alpes Lepontiae, or Grifons; and first traversing the Lacus Aconius, divides the Rhaeti and Vindelici from the Helvetii, and then the Germans from the Gauls and Belgae; and running from south to north for the greatest part of its way, and at length bending its course west, it empties itself at several mouths, (Cæsar); at three mouths into the German ocean, (Pliny); viz. the western, or Helius; the northern, or Fleuvus; and the middle between both these, which retains the original name, Rheusus: and in this Ptolemy agrees. Mela and Tacitus mention two channels and as many mouths, the right and left; the former running by Germany, and the latter by Gallia Belgica: and thus also Afinus Pollio, and Virgil; the cut or trench of Druisa not being made in their time, whereby the middle channel was much drained and reduced, and therefore overlooked by Tacitus and Mela; and which Pliny calls the Scanty. To account for Cæsar's several RHI