Note 79 — ANALYSIS

Such is the story, which at first sight is too childish to admit of credit. It is not likely that a dog would feed upon shell-fish: and if this may at any time have happened, yet whoever is at all conversant in natural history, must know, that the murex is of the turbinated kind, and particularly aculeated; having strong and sharp protuberances, with which a dog would hardly engage. The story is founded upon the same misconception, of which so many instances have been produced. Hercules of Tyre, like all other oriental divinities, was styled Cahen, and Cohen; as was allowed by the Greeks themselves. [79]Τον Ἡρακλην φασι κατα την Αιγυπτιων διαλεκτον ΧΩΝΑ λεγεσθαι. We are told, that Hercules in the language of the Egyptians is called Chon. This intelligence, however, they could not abide by; but changed this sacred title to [80]κυων, a dog, which they described as an attendant upon the Deity.