Aetia]: [Greek: Eklethe (he Aiguptos) kai
Aeria, kai Potamia, kai Aithispia, kai] [67][Greek: AETIA.] One of the most
antient names of the Nile was Ait, or [Greek: Aetos]. It was also a name
given to the Eagle, as the bird particularly sacred to the Sun: and Homer
alludes to the original meaning of the word, when he terms the Eagle
[68][Greek: Aietos aithon]. Among the parts of the human body, it was
appropriated to the [69]heart: for the heart in the body may be esteemed
what the Sun is in his system, the source of heat and life, affording the
same animating principle. This word having these two senses was the reason
why the Egyptians made a heart over a vase of burning incense, an emblem of
their country. [70][Greek: Aigupton de graphontes thumiaterion kaiomenon
zographousi, kai epano KARDIAN.] This term occurs continually in
composition. Athyr, one of the Egyptian months, was formed of Ath-Ur. It
was also one of the names of that place, where the shepherds resided in
Egypt; and to which the Israelites succeeded. It stood at the upper point
of Delta, and was particularly sacred to [Hebrew: AWR] Ur, or Orus: and
thence called Athur-ai, or the place of Athur. At the departure of the
shepherds it was ruined by King Amosis. [71][Greek: Kateskapse de ten
Athurian Amosis.]

As Egypt was named Aith, and Ait; so other countries, in which colonies
from thence settled, were styled Ethia and Athia. The sons of Chus founded
a colony in Colchis; and we find a king of that country named Ait; or, as
the Greeks expressed it, [Greek: Aietes]: and the land was also
distinguished by that characteristic. Hence Arete in the Orphic
Argonautics, speaking of Medea's returning to Colchis, expresses this place
by the terms [Greek: ethea Kolchon]:

[72][Greek: Oichetho patros te domon, kai es ethea Kolchon.]

It is sometimes compounded Ath-El, and Ath-Ain; from whence the Greeks
formed [73][Greek: Athela], and [Greek: Athena], titles, by which they
distinguished the Goddess of wisdom. It was looked upon as a term of high
honour, and endearment. Venus in Apollonius calls Juno, and Minerva, by way
of respect, [Greek: Etheiai]:

[74][Greek: Etheiai, tis deuro noos, chreio te, komizei?]

Menelaus says to his brother Agamemnon, [75][Greek: Tiphth' houtos, Etheie,
korusseai?] And [76][Greek: Tipte moi, Etheie kephale, deur' eilelouthas],
are the words of Achilles to the shade of his lost Patroclus. [Greek:
Etheios], in the original acceptati