Selemnos

Selemnos was, according to Greek mythology, a shepherd in Achaea (a region in the Peloponnese). He was a beautiful youth who was loved by the goddess Argyra (meaning "silver"). As Argyra aged and lost her beauty, Selemnos lost interest in her.

Angered and saddened by his waning affection, Argyra pleaded with Zeus to punish him. Zeus, instead of outright killing Selemnos, transformed him into a river. In other versions of the myth, Selemnos was afflicted with unquenchable lust by Argyra. Feeling remorseful for her role in his perpetual unfulfillment, Argyra begged Zeus to relieve Selemnos of his misery. Zeus then transformed him into the Selemnos River, allowing him some semblance of peace.

The Selemnos River itself is a real geographical feature located in Achaea, and its name derives from this legend. The story of Selemnos and Argyra is a cautionary tale about the fleeting nature of beauty and the consequences of fickle love. The myth highlights themes of aging, rejection, and divine intervention, common elements in Greek mythology.