of them
has formed the character of sage Mentor; under whose resemblance the
Goddess of wisdom was supposed to be concealed. By Mentor, I imagine, that
the Poet covertly alludes to a temple of Menes. It is said, that Homer in
an illness was cured by one [368]Mentor, the son of [Greek: Alkimos],
Alcimus. The person probably was a Mentorian priest, who did him this kind
office, if there be any truth in the story. It was from an oracular temple
styled Mentor; and Man-Tor, that the sacred cakes had the name of
Amphimantora. [369][Greek: Amphimantora, alphita meliti dedeumena.]

Castor, the supposed disciple of Chiron, was in reality the same as Chiron;
being a sacred tower, a Chironian edifice, which served both for a temple
and Pharos. As these buildings for the most part stood on strands of the
sea, and promontories; Castor was esteemed in consequence of it a tutelary
Deity of that element. The name seems to be a compound of Ca-Astor, the
temple or place of Astor; who was rendered at different times Asterius,
Asterion, and Astarte. Ca-Astor was by the Greeks abbreviated to Castor;
which in its original sense I should imagine betokened a fire-tower: but
the Greeks in this instance, as well as in innumerable others, have
mistaken the place and temple for the Deity, to whom it was consecrated.
The whole history of Castor and Pollux, the two Dioscuri, is very strange
and inconsistent. Sometimes they are described as two mortals of Lacedaemon,
who were guilty of violence and rapine, and were slain for their
wickedness. At other times they are represented as the two principal
Deities; and styled Dii Magni, Dii Maximi, Dii Potentes, Cabeiri. Mention
is made by Pausanias of the great regard paid to them, and particularly by
the Cephalenses. [370][Greek: Megalous gar sphas hoi tautei Theous
onomazousin.] _The people there style them by way of eminence the Great
Gods_. There are altars extant, which are inscribed [371]CASTORI ET POLLUCI
DIIS MAGNIS. In [372]Gruter is a Greek inscription to the same purport.
[Greek: Gaios Gaiou Acharneus Hiereus genomenos Theon Megalon Dioskoron
Kabeiron.] But though Castor was enshrined, as a God, he was properly a
Tarchon, such as I have before described; and had all the requisites which
are to be found in such buildings. They were the great repositories of
treasure; which people there entrusted, as to places of great security. The
temple of Castor vas particularly famous on this account, as we may