Cephisus

Cephisus, also transliterated Kephisos or Cephissus in English, is a name that refers to both a river in central Greece and the mythological figure who personifies it. The most well-known Cephisus is a river that flows through Boeotia and Attica. In antiquity it was an important watercourse for agriculture and settlement in the region, and in modern times it has continued to figure in discussions of hydrology and regional drainage. The river ultimately drains into the Saronic Gulf, contributing to the western Attica basin.

In Greek mythology, Cephisus is the river god, a male deity and one of the many river gods conceived as sons of Oceanus and Tethys. As a personification of the river, Cephisus is associated with the fertility and lifecycle of the landscape fed by its waters. Local cults and mythic traditions surrounding Cephisus vary by region; in some accounts he is linked with naiads such as Lilaea, and his figure appears in genealogies and local lore connected to Boeotian and Athenian geography.

The name Cephisus thus functions as both a geographic toponym and a divine figure within the broader Greek mythological system. Spelling variants include Kephisos and Cephissus, reflecting differences between Greek and English transliteration.