It was probably a temple, and its environs; where a society of priests resided, who were maintained by the public; and who worshipped the Deity under the semblance of a serpent. Tityus must be ranked among the monsters of this class. He is by the Poets represented as a stupendous being, an earthborn giant: [307]Terræ omniparentis alumnum, ---- per tota novem cui jugera corpus Porrigitur. By which is meant, that he was a tower, erected upon a conical mount of earth, which stood in an inclosure of nine acres. He is said to have a vulture preying upon his heart, or liver; immortale jecur tondens. The whole of which history is borrowed from Homer, who mentions two vultures engaged in tormenting him. [308]Και Τιτυον ειδον Γαιης ερικυδεος ὑιον, Κειμενον εν δαπεδῳ· ὁδ' επ' εννεα κειτο πελεθρα· Γυπε δε μιν ἑκατερθε παρημενοι ηπαρ εκειρον, Δερτρον εσω δυνοντες, ὁδ' ουκ απαμυνετο χερσι. The same story is told of Prometheus, who is said to have been exposed upon Mount Caucasus, near Colchis; with this variation, that an eagle is placed over him, preying upon his heart. These strange histories are undoubtedly taken from the symbols and devices which were carved upon the front of the antient Amonian temples; and especially those of Egypt. The eagle and the vulture were the insignia of that country: whence it was called Ai-Gupt, and [309]Aetia, from Ait and Gupt, which signified an eagle and vulture. Ait was properly a title of the Deity, and signified heat: and the heart, the centre of vital heat, was among the Egyptians styled [310]Ait: hence we are told by [311]Orus Apollo, that a heart over burning coals was an emblem of Egypt. The Amonians dealt much in hieroglyphical representations. Nonnus mentions one of this sort, which seems to have been a curious emblem of the Sun. It was engraved upon a jasper, and worn for a bracelet. Two serpents entwined together, with their heads different ways, were depicted in a semicircular manner round the extreme part of the gem. At the top between their heads was an eagle; and beneath a sacred carriage, called Cemus. [312]Αιετος εν χρυσειος, ἁτε πλατυν ηερα τεμνων, Ορθος, εχιδναιων διδυμων μεσσηγυ καρηνων, Ὑψιφανης πτερυγων πισυρων τετραζυγι κημῳ. Τῃ μεν ξανθος ιασπις επετρεχε.