In
Greek mythology, the river
Phlegethon (,
English translation: "flaming") or
Pyriphlegethon (Πυριφλεγέθων, English translation: "fire-flaming") was one of the five rivers in the infernal regions of
the underworld, along with the rivers
Styx,
Lethe,
Cocytus, and
Acheron.
Plato describes it as "a stream of fire, which coils round the earth and flows into the depths of
Tartarus". It was parallel to the river
Styx. It is said that the goddess Styx was in love with Phlegethon, but she was consumed by his flames and sent to Hades. Eventually when Hades allowed her river to flow through, they reunited.