may cause a little uncertainty about the meaning.
However, in most places it is sufficiently plain. Phaethon, a much mistaken
personage, was an antient title of the Sun, a compound of Phi-Ath-On.
Bacchus was called Phi-Anac by the Mysians, rendered by the poets
[457]Phanac and Phanaces. Hanes was a title of the same Deity, equally
reverenced of old, and compounded Ph' Hanes. It signified the fountain of
light: and from it was derived Phanes of Egypt: also [Greek: phaino],
[Greek: phaneis], [Greek: phaneros]: and from Ph'ain On, Fanum. In short,
these particles occur continually in words, which relate to religious
rites, and the antient adoration of fire. They are generally joined to Ur,
by which that element is denoted. From P'Ur Tor came Praetor and Praetorium,
among the Romans: from P'Ur-Aith, Purathi and Puratheia among the Asiatics.
From P'Ur-tan, [Greek: prutaneis], and [Greek: prutaneia] among the Greeks
of Hellas: in which Prutaneia there were of old sacred hearths, and a
perpetual fire. The antient name of Latian Jupiter was P'ur, by length of
time changed to Puer. He was the Deity of fire; and his ministers were
styled Pueri: and because many of them were handsome youths selected for
that office, Puer came at length to signify any young person. Some of the
Romans would explain this title away, as if it referred to Jupiter's
childhood: but the history of the place will shew that it had no such
relation. It was a proper name, and retained particularly among the people
of Praeneste. They had undoubtedly been addicted to the rites of fire; for
their city was said to have been built by Caeculus, the son of Vulcan, who
was found in the midst of fire:

[458] Vulcano genitum pecora inter agrestia Regem,
Inventumque focis.

They called their chief God Pur: and dealt particularly in divination by
lots, termed of old _Purim_. Cicero takes notice of this custom of
divination at Praeneste; and describes the manner, as well as the place: but
gives into the common mistake, that the Purim related to Jupiter's
childhood. He says, that the place, where the process was carried on, was a
sacred inclosure, [459]is est hodie locus septus, religiose propter Jovis
_Pueri_, qui lactens cum Junone in gremio _Fortunae_ mammam appetens,
castissime colitur a Matribus. This manner of divination was of Chaldaic
original, and brought from Babylonia to Praeneste. It is mentioned in
Esther, c. 3. v. 7. They cast Pur before Haman, that he m