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number, styled Gastrocheirs; and lived by their labour. Hesychius in some degree reverses this strange name, and says, that they were called EyXELgoaseges. The Grecians continually mistook places for persons, as I have shewn. These seven Cyclopes were, I make no doubt, seven Cyclopian towers built by the people, of whom I have been treating. Some of them stood towards the harbour to afford light to ships, when they approached in the night. They were sacred to Aster, or Astarte; and styled Astro-caer, and Caer-Aster; out of which the Greeks formed rasgoxg, and Εγχειρογασης; a strange medley made up of hands, and bellies. Strabo in particular having converted these buildings into so many masons, adds, 5 Γατερόχειρας, τρεφομένες εκ της τέχνης. They were honest belly handed men, industrious people, who got their livelihood by their art. These towers were erected likewise for Purait, or Puratheia, where the rites of fire were performed: but Purait, or Puraitus, the Greeks changed to Пgoros; and

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50 Many places were denominated from Aster; such as Asteria, Asterion, Asteris, Astræa, Astarte. See Steph. Byzantinus. Αγέριον, πολις Θετταλίας-ή νυν Πιρεσια. Idem. Ασερίη, ή Δηλος, και ή Κρήτη, εκαλείτο. Hesychius. Δηλος Ασερη. Callimach. Η. in Delon. v. 37. and 40. Asteria signifies the island of Aster. S1 L. 8. p. 572.

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gave out that the towers were built for " Proetus, whom they made a king of that country.

I imagine, that not only the common idea of the Cyclopians was taken from towers and edifices; but that the term Κύκλωψ, and Κυκλωπις, Cuclops, and Cuclopis, signified a building or temple; and from thence the people had their name. They were of the same family as the Cadmians, and Phoenices; and as the Hivites, or Ophites who came from Egypt, and settled near Libanus and Baal Hermon, upon the confines of Canaan. They worshipped the Sun under the symbol of a serpent: hence they were styled in different parts, where they in time settled, Europians, Oropians, Anopians, Inopians, Asopians, Elopians; all which names relate to the worship of the Pytho Ops, or

52 Pausanias mentions the apartments of the daughters of Prætus. 1. 2. p. 169. But the daughters of Prætus were properly the virgins who officiated at the Purait, the young priestesses of the Deity.

The Sicilian Cyclopes were three, because there were three towers only, erected upon the islands called Cyclopum Scopulis and that they were lighthouses is apparent from the name which still remains: for they are at this day styled Faraglioni, according to Fazellus. The Cyclopes of Tiryns were seven, as we learn from Strabo; because the towers probably were in number so many. From this circumstance we may presume, that the ideas of the antients concerning the Cyclopians, were taken from the buildings which they erected.

Opis. What may be the precise etymology of the term Kuxa, Cuclops, I cannot presume to determine. Cuclops, as a personage, was said to have been the son of " Ouranus and the earth: which Ouranus among the Amonians was often styled Cœl, or Cœlus; and was worshipped under the forementioned emblem of a serpent. Hence the temple of the Deity may have been originally called Cu-Cœl-Ops, Domus Cœli Pythonis; and the priests and people Cucelopians. But whatever may have been the purport of the name, the history of these personages is sufficiently determinate.

There was a place in Thrace called "4 Cuclops, where some of the Cyclopian race had settled: for many of the Amonians came hither. Hence Thrace seems at one time to have been the seat of science and the Athenians acknowledged, that they borrowed largely from them. The na

53 The Cyclopian buildings were also called Ouranian. Kuzλwa Tegana Tuxsa. Euripid. Electra. v. 1158.

54 Both Cuclops, and Cuclopes, was the name of a place. We may, therefore, I think, be pretty well assured, that the Cyclopians were from hence denominated. And as sacred places had their names from the Deity, to whom they were dedicated, it is very probable, that the Cuclopian towers were named from Cœlus Ops, the Deity there worshipped: for I have shewn, that this people were the reputed children of Ouranus, and Cœlus.

tives were very famous; particularly the Pierians for their music, the Peonians for pharmacy, and the Edonians for their rites and worship. Those, who went under the name of Cyclopes, probably introduced architecture; for which art they seein to have been every where noted. There was à fountain in these parts, of which Aristotle takes notice, as of a wonderful nature." Ev de δε Κύκλωψε τους Θραξι κρηνιδίον εσιν, ύδως έχων, δ τη μεν καψει καθαρον, και διαφανές, και τοις αλλοις ὁμοιον όταν δε πίῃ τι ζώον εξ αυτέ, παραχρημα διαφθείρεται. In the region of the Cyclopians of Thrace is a fountain, clear to the eye, and pure, and in no wise differing from common, water of which, however, if an animal drinks, it is immediately poisoned. There is another account given by Theopompus; who speaks of the people by the name of the Chropes, which is a contraction for Charopes. He says, that even going into the water was fatal. Θεοπομπός ισορει κρηνην εν Χριψι της Θράκης, εξ ἧς της λεσαμένες παρα χρημα μεταλλάσσειν. Theopompus mentions a fountain among the Charopes of Thrace, in which, if a person attempts to bathe, he immediately loses his life. I have taken notice of this history, because

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55 Aristoteles de mirabil. auscult. p. 732.

5 In excerptis apud Sotionem. See not. Meursii in Antigonum Carystium. p. 183.

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we find, that the persons who are called " Cuclopes by one writer, are styled Char-opes by another, and very justly for the terms are nearly of the same purport. The Charopes were denominated from a temple, and place called Char-Ops, or Char-Opis, locus Dei Pythonis: and the Cyclopes were, as I have before supposed, denominated from Cu-Cal-Ops, or Cu-Cœl-Opis, the temple of the same Deity. They were both equally named from the Ophite God, the great object of their adoration, and from the temple where he was worshipped.

The head of Medusa in Argolis is said to have been the work of the 53 Cyclopians. This seems to have been an antient hieroglyphical representation upon the temple of Caphisus. It was usual with the Egyptians, and other Amonians, to describe, upon the Architrave of their temples, some emblem of the Deity, who there presided. This representation was often an eagle, or vulture; a wolf, or a lion; also an heart, or an eye. The

57 Of the Cyclopians of Thrace see Scholia in Euripid. Orest. ν. 966. Κύκλωπες, Θρακικον εθνος. Also Scholia in Statii Theb. }. 2. p. 104.

58 Пaga δε το ίερον το Κηφισσα Μεδέσης λιθα πεποιημένη κεφαλή, Κυκλώπων φασίν είναι και τετο έργον. Pausan. 1. 2. p. 156. Κηφισσος, Doricè Kaçiocos, vel Kapicos: from Caph-Isis, Petra Deæ

Isidis.

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