mpossibility, but that there might have casually arisen this
correspondence between his name and writings. But, I think, it is hardly
probable. As he wrote against the mythology of his country, I should
imagine that [Greek: Palaiphatos], Palaephatus, was an assumed name, which
he took for a blind, in order to screen himself from persecution: for the
nature of his writings made him liable to much ill will. One little
treatise of [262]Palaephatus about Orion is quoted verbatim by the Scholiast
upon [263]Homer, who speaks of it as a quotation from Euphorion. I should
therefore think, that Euphorion was the name of this writer: but as there
were many learned men so called, it may be difficult to determine which was
the author of this treatise.

Homer, who has constructed the noblest poem that was ever framed, from the
strangest materials, abounds with allegory and mysterious description. He
often introduces ideal personages, his notions of which he borrowed from
the edifices, hills, and fountains; and from whatever savoured of wonder
and antiquity. He seems sometimes to blend together two different
characters of the same thing, a borrowed one, and a real; so as to make the
true history, if there should be any truth at bottom, the more
extraordinary and entertaining.

I cannot help thinking, that Otus and Ephialtes, those gigantic youths, so
celebrated by the Poets, were two lofty towers. They were building to
Alohim, called [264]Aloeus; but were probably overthrown by an earthquake.
They are spoken of by Pindar as the sons of Iphimedeia; and are supposed to
have been slain by Apollo in the island Naxos.

[265][Greek: En de Naxoi]
[Greek: Phanti thanein liparai Iphimedeias paidas]
[Greek: Oton, kai se, tolmaeis Ephialta anax.]

They are also mentioned by Homer, who styles them [Greek: gegeneis], or
earthborn: and his description is equally fine.

[266][Greek: Kai rh' eteken duo paide, minunthadio de genesthen,]
[Greek: Oton t' antitheon, telekleiton t' Ephialten;]
[Greek: Hous de mekistous threpse zeidoros aroura,]
[Greek: Kai polu kallistous meta ge kluton Oriona.]
[Greek: Enneoroi gar toi ge, kai enneapechees esan]
[Greek: Euros, atar mekos ge genesthen enneorguioi.]

Homer includes Orion in this description, whom he mentions elsewhere; and
seems to borrow his ideas from a similar object, some tower, or temple,
that was sacred to him. Orion was Nimrod, the great hunter in the
Script