the assistance of the Cyclopians. They were seven in number, styled Gastrocheirs; and lived by their labour._ Hesychius in some degree reverses this strange name, and says, that they were called Εγχειρογαστερες. 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 [585]Astarte; and styled Astro-caer, and Caer-Aster; out of which the Greeks formed Γαστροχειρ, and Εγχειρογαστηρ; a strange medley made up of hands, and bellies. Strabo in particular having converted these building's into so many masons, adds, [586]Γαστεροχειρας, τρεφομενους εκ της τεχνης. _They were honest bellyhanded 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 Προιτος; and gave out that the towers were built for [587]Prœtus, 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 Κυκλωψ, 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 Phœnices; 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 Opis. What may be the precise etymology of the term Κυκλωψ, Cuclops, I cannot presume to determine. Cuclops, as a personage, was said to have been the son of [588]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.