were often esteemed as talismans, and supposed to
have an hidden and salutary influence, by which the building was preserved.
In the temple of Minerva, at Tegea, was some sculpture of Medusa, which the
Goddess was said to have given, [601][Greek: analoton es ton panta kronon
einai (ten polin)]; _to preserve the city from ever being taken in war_. It
was probably from this opinion, that the [602]Athenians had the head of
Medusa represented upon the walls of their acropolis: and it was the
insigne of many cities, as we may find from antient coins. The notion of
the Cyclopes framing the thunder and lightning for Jupiter arose chiefly
from the Cyclopians engraving hieroglyphics of this sort upon the temples
of the Deity. Hence they were represented as persons,

[603][Greek: Hoi Zeni bronten t' edosan, teuxan te keraunon.]

The Poets considered them merely in the capacity of blacksmiths, and
condemned them to the anvil. This arose from the chief Cyclopian Deity
being called Acmon, and Pyracmon. He was worshipped under the former title
in Phrygia; where was a city and district called Acmonia, mentioned by
Alexander [604]Polyhistor. The Amazonians paid the like reverence: and
there was a sacred grove called Acmonium upon the [605]Thermodon, which was
held in great repute. He was by some looked upon as the offspring of
heaven; by others worshipped as Ouranus, and Coelus, the heaven itself; and
Acmonides was supposed to have been his [606]son, whom some of the
mythologists made the ruling spirit of the earth. Hence Simmias Rhodius
introduces Divine Love displaying his influence, and saying, that he
produced Acmonides, that mighty monarch of the earth, and at the same time
founded the sea. [607][Greek: Leusse me ton Gas te barusternou Anakt'
Akmonidan, tan hala th' hedrasanta.]

Acmon seems to have been worshipped of old at Tiryns, that antient city of
Greece, whose towers were said to have been built by the Cyclopians. For
Acmon was the Cyclopian Deity; and is represented by Callimachus as the
tutelary God of the place, though the passage has been otherwise
interpreted.

[608][Greek: Toios gar aei Tirunthios Akmon]
[Greek: Hesteke pro puleon.]

The term has commonly been looked upon as an adjective; and the passage has
been rendered Talis Tirynthius indefessus, which is scarce sense.
Callimachus was very knowing in mythology, and is here speaking of the
Cyclopian God Acmon, whom he makes the [Greek: theos prop