Achelous, Greek Akheloios, shape-shifting Greek river god who was the personification of the Achelous River, one of the longest rivers in Greece. Achelous, who was worshipped as the god of fresh water, was chief among his 3,000 brothers, and all springs, rivers, and oceans were believed to issue from him. His father was Oceanus, and either Tethys (according to Hesiod) or Gaea (according to Alcaeus) was his mother. He famously battled with Heracles (Hercules) for the hand of Deianeira and was bested, an event often depicted on Greek pottery. He was believed to have fathered the Sirens with one of the Muses.