ges were
attended to: what was called Shechem by Moses, is termed [214][Greek:
Sichar] or [Greek: Suchar] by the [215]Apostle.

APHA, APHTHA, PTHA, PTHAS.

Fire, and likewise the God of fire, was by the Amonians styled Apthas, and
Aptha; contracted, and by different authors expressed, Apha, Pthas, and
Ptha. He is by Suidas supposed to have been the Vulcan of Memphis. [Greek:
Phthas, ho Ephaistos para] [216][Greek: Memphitais.] And Cicero makes him
the same Deity of the Romans. [217]Secundus, (Vulcanus) Nilo natus, Phas,
ut AEgyptii appellant, quem custodem esse AEgypti volunt. The author of the
Clementines describes him much to the same purpose. [218][Greek: Aiguptioi
de homoios--to pur idiai dialektoi Phtha ekalesan, ho hermeneuetai
Hephaistos.] [219]Huetius takes notice of the different ways in which this
name is expressed: Vulcano Pthas, et Apthas nomen fuisse scribit Suidas.
Narrat Eusebius Ptha AEgyptiorum eundem esse ac Vulcanum Graecorum; Patrem
illi fuisse Cnef, rerum opificem. However the Greeks and Romans may have
appropriated the term, it was, properly, a title of [220]Amon: and
Iamblichus acknowledges as much in a [221]chapter wherein he particularly
treats of him. But, at the same time, it related to fire: and every place,
in the composition of whose name it is found, will have a reference to that
element, or to its worship.

There was a place called Aphytis in Thrace, where the Amonians settled very
early; and where was an oracular temple of Amon. [222][Greek: Aphute, e
Aphutis, polis pros tei Pallenei Thraikes, apo Aphuos tinos enchoriou.
Esche de he polis manteion tou Ammonos.] _Aphyte, or Aphytis, is a city
hard by Pallene, in Thrace; so called from one Aphys, a native of those
parts. This city had once an oracular temple of Ammon_.

It stood in the very country called Phlegra, where the worship of fire once
particularly prevailed. There was a city Aphace; also a temple of that name
in Mount Libanus, sacred to Venus Aphacitis, and denominated from fire.
Here, too, was an oracle: for most temples of old were supposed to be
oracular. It is described by Zosimus, who says, [223]that near the temple
was a large lake, made by art, in shape like a star. About the building,
and in the neighbouring ground, there at times appeared a fire of a
globular figure, which burned like a lamp. It generally shewed itself at
times when a celebrity was held: and, he adds, that even in his time it was
frequently seen.

A