Note 1245 — ANTIENT HEROES.

Some of the pyramids in Egypt were styled the pyramids of the shepherd [1245]Philitis; and were said to have been built by people, whom the Egyptians held in abomination: from whence we may form a judgment of the persons, by whom those edifices were erected. Many hills, and places of reputed sanctity were denominated from shepherds. Caucasus, in the vicinity of Colchis, had its name conferred by Jupiter in memory of Caucasus a shepherd. [1246]Το ορος εις τιμην του Ποιμενος Καυκασον μετονομασας. Mount Cithæron in Bœotia was called Asterius; but received the former name from one Cithæron, a [1247]shepherd, supposed to have been there slain. I have mentioned from Herodotus, that the Cadmians built the temple of [1248]Damater, or Ceres, in Attica, where they introduced her worship. And there is a remarkable circumstance mentioned in consequence of this by Hesychius, who tells us, that the priests of this Goddess were of a particular family, called Ποιμενιδαι, or the Shepherd race. Ποιμενιδαι, γενος, εξ ὁυ ὁ Δημητρος ἱερευς. The Cadmians therefore, from whom this priesthood came, must have been in a peculiar manner shepherds. The mountain Apæsantus in Argolis is said to have been named from [1249]Apæsantus, a shepherd. The Cuthites settled in Thrace near Hæmus, in Sethonia; of whom Stephanus gives this short but remarkable history: εκαλουντο προτερον Νομαιοι. The author does not say, that they were shepherds; but that they antiently were so called: so that it was not so much the profession, as the title of the people. They settled in Hetruria, and Latium; in which last province stood the city Præneste, of which I have before spoken. It was said to have been of high antiquity, and was founded by Cœculus,