We find the same mistake occur in the account transmitted to us concerning the first discovery of purple. The antients very gratefully gave the merit of every useful and salutary invention to the Gods. Ceres was supposed to have discovered to men corn, and bread: Osiris shewed them the use of the plough; Cinyras of the harp: Vesta taught them to build. Every Deity was looked up to as the cause of some blessing. The Tyrians and Sidonians were famous for the manufacture of purple: the die of which was very exquisite, and the discovery of it was attributed to Hercules of Tyre; the same who by Palæphatus is styled Hercules [75]Philosophus. But some will not allow him this honour; but say, that the dog of Hercules was the discoverer. For accidentally feeding upon the Murex, with which the coast abounded, the dog stained his mouth with the ichor of the fish; and from hence the first hint of dying was [76]taken. This gave birth to the proverbial expression, [77]Ἑυρημα κυνος ην ἡ σεβαστη πορφυρα. Nonnus mentions the particular circumstance of the dog's staining his mouth: [78]Χιονεας πορφυρε παρηϊδας ἁιματι κοχλου. Such is the story, which at first sight is too childish to admit of credit. It is not likely that a dog would feed upon shell-fish: and if this may at any time have happened, yet whoever is at all conversant in natural history, must know, that the murex is of the turbinated kind, and particularly aculeated; having strong and sharp protuberances, with which a dog would hardly engage. The story is founded upon the same misconception, of which so many instances have been produced. Hercules of Tyre, like all other oriental divinities, was styled Cahen, and Cohen; as was allowed by the Greeks themselves. [79]Τον Ἡρακλην φασι κατα την Αιγυπτιων διαλεκτον ΧΩΝΑ λεγεσθαι. _We are told, that Hercules in the language of the Egyptians is called Chon._ This intelligence, however, they could not abide by; but changed this sacred title to [80]κυων, a dog, which they described as an attendant upon the Deity.