STYRIA (Ger. Steiermark), a duchy forming one of the German crown-lands of Aus tria, is bounded on the upper and lower Austria, e. by Hungary and Croatia, s. and w. by Carniola, Carinthia, Salzburg. Its area is 8,671 English sq.m., and pop. '70, 1,137,990, who are partly of German and partly of Slavic origin. Styria is a mountain ous country, being traversed in the w. and center by branches of the Norte Alps, which spread out into numerous ramifications; while the southern portion between the Drave and the Save is occupied by branches of the Comic Alps. The climate of Styria, like that of most mountainous countries. is variable, but is generally raw and cold in dm northern and more mountainous portion, and mild in the south. But in spite of its physical character, agriculture is so zealously prosecuted that -a- of the country are under cultivation, producing rye, wheat, oats, and maize. Vines are largely cultivated in various parts, and orchards are numerous. The chief wealth of the country, however, lies in its mineral products, which include, besides immense quantities of iron, lead, cop per, gold, silver, marble, limestone, and slate, with abundance of salt and coal. Tho chief industries are thus necessarily in connection with the production of iron and- steel, and their manufacture into articles of such excellent quality as to be in great demand in other countries. There arc also manufactures of brass and lead articles, earthenware,
paper, tobacco, glass, white-lead, copper. hammers, and of cotton, linen, cloth, etc. Styria was anciently divided between Noricum and Pannonia, and has generally followed the fortunes of the two provinces of Upper and Lower Austria.
STYX (Gr. stag-, to hate, abhor), a water-fall in Greece, near the town of Nonacris, in the n.e. of Arcadia, descends perpendicularly over lofty and precipitous rocks, and forms a small torrent, which falls into the Crathis. The scenery around it is weird and desolate, so that the Greeks regarded the Styx with superstitious awe; the water being supposed to be poisonous, and to break every vessel into which it was put, except those made of the hoof of a horse or an ass. It was reported that Alexander the great had been poisoned by it. It is now called to Mau•aneria (the black waters), and also to Drakoneria (the terrible waters), the belief in its poisonous qualities still surviving.
mythology the Styx was a river of Hades, round which it flowed seven times, and over which Charon (q.v.) conveyed the shades of the departed. As a goddess Styx was the daughter of Oceanus and Tethys, dwelling in a grotto at the entrance of Hades. She was the confirmer of the most solemn oaths of the gods.