Nine are Earth’s parts made of water, separate from the tenth part, that of the waters of Styx. The waters of Styx have been linked to theological and philosophical ideas, like the ones relating to the Elefsinia Mysteria (“Elefsis Mysteries”), the Orpheus and Pythagorean beliefs about reincarnation. Styx was an underworld river.

Callous Styx has her palaces in the Tartarus. That is where Zeus threw the Titans, the Giants and everyone else who went against his will. Styx stays separately, in glorious rooms, built with long stones and supported all around by silver pillars. Sleepless Dragons watch out for Styx day and night. During the war between the Titans and the Olympians (Titanomachy), Zeus, along with the other Gods, fought against his father Cronos, who was also helped by his brothers the Titans. However, from the Titans side, comes the terrible Oceanis the Styx, in aid of Zeus. Styx had four children: Cratos, Bia, Zelo and Nike. Styx also stood by Zeus through the battle of the Olympian Gods and the Giants (Gigantomachy). All the Gods, including the Sun, took their oath in the waters of Styx. It was the greatest of the Gods’ oath and it was in Styx’s waters that the Gods served their time when they were punished. Her name brought fear to Gods and people. It was said that no living being would survive if it drank from this water. Glass, crystals, ceramic pots, broke when immersed in it. Even materials like silver and gold and amber would dissolve. Only the horses’ hooves withstood this water and that is why the Gods would drink it using a horse’s hoof. Trying to find her partner Eros, Psyche was obliged to carry water from Styx. We all know that Achilles was invincible because his mother Thetis plunged him into the waters of Styx as soon as he was born, to make him immortal. The child’s heal did not go in the water. Later on, in the war of Troy, that is the part Paris would aim his arrow at and kill him.

It is in the waters of Styx that, even before reaching manhood, Otos and Ephialtes took an oath to make Artemis and Hera theirs respectively, and vowed they would climb to the sky piling atop one another mount Olympus, Ossa and Pelion. Up until recently, “Mavroneri” of Styx filled the local people with a superstitious fear.

The ascent begins at the village Peristera (or Solos). Only a few kilometres before the village, situated within a forest, the lake Tsivlou is a spot of great beauty (700m). You start off on a rural road that leads into a pine forest and then you continue on a footpath until you come to a spot of great view (two and a half hours). Here the path has collapsed somewhat, which may be misleading, however, continue on for another half an hour until you reach the base of the waterfalls of the Waters of Styx.