he later Greeks. All these
appellations are from the same object, the edifices which they erected:
even Hetruria seems to have been a compound of Ai-tur; and to have
signified the land of Towers. Another name for buildings of this nature was
Turit, or Tirit; which signified a tower or turret. I have often mentioned
that temples have been mistaken for Deities, and places for persons. We
have had an instance of this above; where Tarchon, and Tursenus are
supposed to have been founders of colonies. Torone was a place in
Macedonia; and signifies literally the Tower of the Sun. The Poets have
formed out of it a female personage; and supposed her to have been the wife
of [246]Proteus. So Amphi-Tirit is merely an oracular tower. This too has
by the Poets been changed to a female, Amphitrite; and made the wife of
Neptune. The name of Triton is a contraction of Tirit-On; and signifies the
tower of the Sun, like Torone: but a Deity was framed from it, who was
supposed to have had the appearance of a man upwards, but downwards to have
been like a fish. From this emblematical representation we may judge of the
figure of the real Deity; and be assured that it could be no other than
that of Atargatis and Dagon. The [247]Hetrurians were thought to have been
the inventors of trumpets: and in their towers upon the sea-coast there
were people appointed to be continually upon the watch both by day and
night; and to give a proper signal, if any thing happened extraordinary.
This was done by a blast from the trumpet; and Triton was hence feigned to
have been Neptune's trumpeter. He is accordingly described by Nonnus,

[248][Greek: Tursenes Barudoupon echon salpinga thalasses;]

_as possessing the deep toned trumpet of the Hetrurian main_. However in
early times these brazen instruments were but little known: and people were
obliged to make use of what was near at hand, the conchs of the sea, which
every strand afforded. By sounding these, they gave signals from the top of
the towers when any ship appeared: and this is the implement with which
Triton is more commonly furnished. The antients divided the night into
different watches; the last of which was called cockcrow: and in
consequence of this they kept a cock in their Tirat, or Towers, to give
notice of the dawn. Hence this bird was sacred to the Sun, and named
Alector, [Greek: Alektor]: which seems to be a compound out of the titles
of that Deity, and of the tower set apart for his ser