g over it; of which in aftertimes they made use to confine
malefactors. It was called [Greek: Kaiades], or as the Spartans expressed
it, [Greek: Kaiadas], the house of death. [421][Greek: Kaiadas
desmoterion--to para Lakedaimoniois]. Cai signified a cavern: Adas, which
is subjoined, was the Deity, to whom it was sacred, esteemed the God of the
infernal regions. He was by the Ionians, &c. expressed Ades, and Hades; and
by other nations Ait, and Atis. Hence these caverns were also styled
[Greek: Kaietes], and [Greek: Kaietoi]. The author above quoted gives us
the terms variously exhibited: [422][Greek: Kaietoi.--Hoi apo ton seismon
rhochmoi Kaietoi legontai. Kai Kaiadas to desmoterion enteuthen, to para
Lakedaimoniois, spelaion]. Hesychius renders it in the plural, and as a
neuter: [Greek: kaiata], [Greek: orugmata]. Whether it be compounded
Cai-Ait, Cai-Atis, or Cai-Ades, the purport is the same. The den of Cacus
was properly a sacred cave, where Chus was worshipped, and the rites of
fire were [423]practised. Cacus is the same name as Cuscha in Ethiopia,
only reversed. The history of it was obsolete in the days of Virgil; yet
some traces of it still remained.

Strabo says that many people called these caves [Greek: Kooi.] [424][Greek:
Enioi koous mallon ta toiauta koilomata legesthai phasin.] Hence he very
truly explains a passage in Homer. The poet, speaking of Theseus, Dryas,
Polyphemus, and other heroes of the Mythic age, mentions their encountering
with the mountaineers of Thessaly, whom he styles [Greek: pheres
oreschooi]:

[425][Greek: Kartistoi de keinoi epichthonion traphen andron,]
[Greek: Kartistoi men esan, kai kartistois emachonto]
[Greek: Phersin oreschooisi]----

[Greek: Oreschoos] signified a person, who lived in a mountain habitation;
whose retreat was a house in a mountain. Co, and Coa, was the name of such
house. Strabo says that this term is alluded to by Homer, when he styles
Lacedaemon [426][Greek: Lakedaimona ketoessan], _for it was by many thought
to have been so called on account of their caverns._ From hence we may
fairly conclude, that [Greek: ketoessa] was a mistake, or at least a
variation, for [427][Greek: kaietaessa], from Cai-Atis; and that Co,
[428]Coa, Caia, were of the same purport.

But this term does not relate merely to a cavern; but to temples founded
near such places: oftentimes the cave itself was a temple. Caieta, in
Italy, near Cuma, called by Diodorus [Greek: Kaiete], w