lammicomo devoti pectora Soli
Vitam agitant.

Similar to Emesa was Edessa, or more properly Adesa, so named from Hades,
the God of light. The emperor Julian styles the region--[Greek: Hieron ex
aionos toi Helioi] [633][Greek: Chorion]. This city was also, from its
worship, styled [634]Ur, Urhoe, and Urchoe; which last was probably the
name of the [635]temple.

There were many places called Arsene, Arsine, Arsinoe, Arsiana. These were
all the same name, only varied in different countries; and they were
consequently of the same purport. Arsinoe is a compound of arez-ain, Solis
fons: and most places so denominated will be found famed for some fountain.
One of this name was in Syria; [636][Greek: Arsinoe polis en Suriai, epi
bounoi keimene. apo de tou bounou krenas ereugetai pleionas--aph' hon he
polis onomastai.] _Arsinoe is a city in Syria, situated upon a rising
ground, out of which issue many streams: from hence the city had its name_.
Arsine and Arsiana in Babylonia had [637]fountains of bitumen. Arsene in
Armenia was a nitrous lake: [638][Greek: Arsene limen--nitritis]. Near
Arsinoe, upon the Red Sea, were hot streams of bitter [639]waters; and
Arsinoe near [640]Ephesus had waters equally bitter.

There were many people called Hyrcani; and cities and regions, Hyrcania: in
the history of which there will be uniformly found some reference to fire.
The name is a compound of Ur-chane, the God of that element. He was
worshipped particularly at Ur, in Chaldea: and one tribe of that nation
were called Urchani. Strabo mentions them as only one branch of the
[641]literati; but [642]Pliny speaks of them as a people, a tribe of the
Chaldeans. Here was the source of fire worship: and all the country was
replete with bitumen and fire. There was a region [643]Hyrcania, inhabited
by the Medes; which seems to have been of the same inflammable nature. The
people were called Hyrcani, and Astabeni: which latter signifies the sons
of fire. Celiarius mentions a city Hyrcania in [644]Lydia. There were
certainly people styled Hyrcani; and a large plain called Campus Hyrcanus
[645] in the same part of the world. It seems to have been a part of that
parched and burning region called [Greek: katakekaumene], so named from the
fires with which it abounded. It was near Hierapolis, Caroura, and Fossa
Charonea; all famed for fire.

It may seem extraordinary, yet I cannot help thinking, that the Hercynian
forest in Germany was no other than the