[584][Greek:
Tirunthi hormeterioi chresasthai dokei Proitos, kai teichisai dia Kuklopon;
hous hepta men einai, kaleisthai de Gasterocheiras, trephomenous ek tes
technes.] _Proetus seems to have been the first who made use of Tiryns as
an harbour; which place he walled round by the assistance of the
Cyclopians. They were seven in number, styled Gastrocheirs; and lived by
their labour._ Hesychius in some degree reverses this strange name, and
says, that they were called [Greek: Encheirogasteres]. The Grecians
continually mistook places for persons, as I have shewn. These seven
Cyclopes were, I make no doubt, seven Cyclopian towers built by the people,
of whom I have been treating. Some of them stood towards the harbour to
afford light to ships, when they approached in the night. They were sacred
to Aster, or [585]Astarte; and styled Astro-caer, and Caer-Aster; out of
which the Greeks formed [Greek: Gastrocheir], and [Greek: Encheirogaster];
a strange medley made up of hands, and bellies. Strabo in particular having
converted these building's into so many masons, adds, [586][Greek:
Gasterocheiras, trephomenous ek tes technes]. _They were honest bellyhanded
men, industrious people, who got their livelihood by their art_. These
towers were erected likewise for Purait, or Puratheia, where the rites of
fire were performed: but Purait, or Puraitus, the Greeks changed to [Greek:
Proitos]; and gave out that the towers were built for [587]Proetus, whom
they made a king of that country.

I imagine, that not only the common idea of the Cyclopians was taken from
towers and edifices; but that the term [Greek: Kuklops], and [Greek:
Kuklopis], Cuclops, and Cuclopis, signified a building or temple; and from
thence the people had their name. They were of the same family as the
Cadmians, and Phoenices; and as the Hivites, or Ophites who came from
Egypt, and settled near Libanus and Baal Hermon, upon the confines of
Canaan. They worshipped the Sun under the symbol of a serpent: hence they
were styled in different parts, where they in time settled, Europians,
Oropians, Anopians, Inopians, Asopians, Elopians; all which names relate to
the worship of the Pytho Ops, or Opis. What may be the precise etymology of
the term [Greek: Kuklops], Cuclops, I cannot presume to determine. Cuclops,
as a personage, was said to have been the son of [588]Ouranus and the
earth: which Ouranus among the Amonians was often styled Coel, or Coelus;
and was worshipped