75

Cyclopians and they are said to have first forged metals, and to have reduced them to common 74 use; the knowledge of which art they obtained from the fusion of minerals at the burning of mount Ida. Whether this was an eruption of fire from the internal part of the mountain, or only a fire kindled among the forests, which crowned its summit, cannot be determined. It was an event of antient date; and admitted, as a remarkable epocha, in the most early series of chronology. From this event the Curetes, and Corybantes, who were the same as the 7 Idæi Dactyli, are supposed

14 Δακτυλοι Ιδαιοι Κρηταιες. Apollonius Rhod. 1. 1. v. 1129. The Scholiast upon this Poet takes notice of only three; of which one was Acmon:

These verses are quoted from the antient author, & TMm Pagwrida συνθεις.

Diodorus Siculus, 1. 1. p. 333. says, that some made the Idæi Dactyli ten in number; others an hundred.

75 Clemens Alexand. Strom. 1. 1. P. 401. Strabo. I. 10. p. 725.

76 Strabo. 1. 10. p. 715. They are by Tatianus Assyrius spoken of as the Cyclopes, and the same invention attributed to them. Χαλκεύειν Κύκλωπες (εδίδαξαν). p. 243.

to have learned the mystery of fusing and forging metals. From them it was propagated to many countries westward, particularly to the Pangaan mountains, and the region Curetis, where the Cyclopians dwelt in Thrace: also to the region Trinacia and Leontina, near Etna, which they occupied in Sicily.

Thus have I endeavoured to shew the true history" and antiquity of this people: and we may learn from their works, 78 that there was a time, when they were held in high estimation. They were denominated from their worship: and their chief Deity among other titles was styled Acmon, and Pyracmon. They seem to have been great in many sciences: but the term Acmon signifying among the Greeks an anvil, the Poets have limited

Fabricam ferrariam primi excogitârunt Cyclopes. See Hoffman. Ferrum.

77 Κύκλωπες, Θρακικον εθνος, απο Κυκλωπος βασιλέως έτως ονομαζου μενοι.—πλείονες δε αυτών εν τη Κερητιδι· ησαν δε ΑΡΙΣΤΟΙ ΤΕΧΝΙΤΑΙ Schol. in Euripid. Orest. v. 966.

Mention is afterwards made των εκ της Κερητιδος Κυκλώπων. The Curetes worshipped Cronus: so that Cronus and Cuclops were the same. See Porphyry de Abstin. 1. 2. p. 225.

78 They are said to have made the altar upon which the Gods" were sworn, when the Titans rebelled against Jupiter, Scholiast upon Aratus. p. 52. In memorial of this altar an Asterism was formed in the Sphere, denominated Copo, era.

them to one base department, and considered them as so many blacksmiths. And as they resided near Etna, they have made the burning mountain their forge:

79 Ferrum exercebant vasto Cyclopes in antro, Brontesque, Steropesque, et nudus membra Pyracmon.

79 Virgil En, l. 8. v. 424.