any violation. And he moreover ordered his army to pay
due regard to its sanctity; so very awful, it seems, was mysterious
cruelty.

I imagine, that the story of the Harpies relates to priests of the Sun.
They were denominated from their seat of residence, which was an oracular
temple called Harpi, and Hirpi, analogous to Orphi, and Urphi in other
places. I have shewn, that the antient name of a priest was Cahen, rendered
mistakenly [Greek: kun], and canis. Hence the Harpies, who were priests of
Ur, are styled by Apollonius, _the Dogs of Jove_. His accosting Calais, and
Zethus, tells them, that it would be a profanation to offer any injury to
those personages.

[743][Greek: Ou themis, o huieis Boreou xipheesin elassan]
[Greek: Harpuias, megaloio Dios KYNAS.]

This term in the common acceptation is not applicable to the Harpies,
either as birds, for so they are represented; or as winged animals. But
this representation was only the insigne of the people, as the vulture, and
eagle were of the Egyptians: a lion of the Persians. The Harpies were
certainly a [744]college of priests in Bithynia; and on that account called
Cahen. They seem to have been a set of rapacious persons, who, for their
repeated acts of violence, and cruelty, were driven out of the country.
Their temple was styled Arpi; and the environs Arpi-ai: hence the Grecians
formed [745][Greek: Harpuiai.] There was a region in Apulia named Arpi; and
in its neighbourhood were the islands of Diomedes, and the birds, which
were fabled to have been like swans. I have before shewn, that they were
Amonian priests: so likewise were the Hirpi near Soracte in Latium. They
were priests of fire: of whose customs I have taken notice.

The persons who resided in these temples are represented as persons of
great strength and stature: for many of them were of the race of Anac.
There is reason to think, that a custom prevailed in these places of making
strangers engage in fight with some of the priests trained up for that
purpose. The manner of contention was either with the caestus, or by
wrestling. And as the priest appointed for the trial was pretty sure of
coming off the conqueror, the whole was looked upon as a more specious kind
of sacrifice. Amycus, who was king of Bithynia, is represented as of a
[746]gigantic size, and a great proficient with the caestus. He was in
consequence of it the terror of all strangers who came upon the coast.
Cercyon of [747]Megara was