e, [563]and a sceptre. I have observed, that Orion was
supposed to have had three fathers, merely because a tower, sacred to him
in Sicily, and called Tor-Pator, was altered to [Greek: Tripator]; which
change seemed to countenance such an opinion. The Cyclopians were of the
same region in that island; and their towers had undoubtedly the same name:
for the Cyclopians were styled [564][Greek: Tritopateres], and were
supposed to have been three in number. Some such mistake was made about the
towers styled Charis: whence the Grecians formed their notion of the
Graces. As Charis was a tower sacred to fire; some of the Poets have
supposed a nymph of that name, who was beloved by Vulcan. Homer speaks of
her as his wife: [565][Greek: Charis--Kale, hen opuie periklutos
Amphiguneis.] But Nonnus makes her his mistress; and says, that he turned
her out of doors for her jealousy.

[566][Greek: Ek de domon edioke Charin zelemona numphen.]

The Graces were said to be related to the Sun who was in reality the same
as Vulcan. The Sun among the people of the east was called Hares, and with
a guttural, Chares: and his temple was styled Tor-Chares. But as Tor-Pator
was changed to Tripator; so Tor-Chares was rendered Trichares, which the
Greeks expressed [Greek: Tricharis]; and from thence formed a notion of
three Graces. Cicero says, that they were the daughters of night, and
Erebus: but Antimachus, more agreeably to this etymology, maintained, that
they were the offspring of the Sun and light; [567][Greek: Aigles kai
Heliou thugateras.] These seeming contradictions are not difficult to be
reconciled.

The Amonians, wherever they settled, were celebrated for their superiority
in science; and particularly for their skill in building. Of this family
were Trophonius, and his brother Agamedes, who are represented as very
great in the profession. They were truly wonderful, says [568]Pausanias,
for the temples, which they erected to the Gods; and for the stately
edifices, which they built for men. They were the architects, who contrived
the temple of Apollo at Delphi, and the treasury constructed to Urius. They
were, I make no doubt, some of those, who were styled Cyclopians; as the
people under this appellation were far the most eminent in this way. When
the Sibyl in Virgil shews AEneas the place of torment in the shades below,
and leads him through many melancholy recesses, we find that the whole was
separated from the regions of bliss by