Hurcanian, and that it was
denominated from the God Urcan, who was worshipped here as well as in the
east. It is mentioned by Eratosthenes and Ptolemy, under the name of
[Greek: drumos Orkunios], or the forest of [646]Orcun; which is,
undoubtedly, the same name as that above. I have taken notice, that the
name of the mountain Pyrene signified a fountain of fire, and that the
mountain had once flamed. There was a Pyrene among the Alpes
[647]Tridentini, and at the foot of it a city of the same [648]name; which
one would infer to have been so denominated from the like circumstance. I
mention this, because here was the regio Hercynia, where the Hercynian
forest[649] commenced, and from which it received its name. Beatus
Rhenanus, in his account of these parts, says, that there was a tradition
of this mountain Pyrene once[650] burning: and, conformably to this notion,
it is still distinguished by the name of the great [651]Brenner. The
country, therefore, and the forest may have been called Orcunian upon this
account. For as the worship of the Sun, the Deity of fire, prevailed
greatly at places of this nature, I make no doubt but Hercynia, which
Ptolemy expresses [Greek: Orkunia] was so named from Or-cun, the God of
that element.

We must not be surprised to find Amonian names among the Alpes; for some of
that family were the first who passed them. The merit of great performances
was by the Greeks generally attributed to a single person. This passage
therefore through the mountains is said by some to have been the work of
Hercules: by others of Cottus, and [652]Cottius. From hence this particular
branch of the mountains had the name of Alpes Cottiae; and the country was
called Regio Cottiana: wherein were about twelve capital [653]cities. Some
of that antient and sacred nation, the Hyperboreans, are said by Posidonius
to have taken up their residence in these parts. [654][Greek: Tous
Huperboreous--oikein peri tas Alpeis tes Italias.] Here inhabited the
Taurini: and one of the chief cities was Comus. Strabo styles the country
the land of [655]Ideonus, and Cottius. These names will be found hereafter
to be very remarkable. Indeed many of the Alpine appellations were Amonian;
as were also their rites: and the like is to be observed in many parts of
Gaul, Britain, and Germany. Among other evidences the worship of Isis, and
of her sacred ship, is to be noted; which prevailed among the Suevi.
[656]Pars Suevorum et Isidi sacrificat