תד
in Hebrew, and to [[277]]τιτθη, and τιτθος, in Greek. They were so denominated from their resemblance to a woman's breast; and were particularly sacred to Orus and Osiris, the Deities of light, who by the Grecians were represented under the title of Apollo. Hence the summit of Parnassus was [[278]]named Tithorea, from Tith-Or: and hard by was a city, mentioned by Pausanias, of the same name; which was alike sacred to Orus and Apollo. The same author takes notice of a hill, near Epidaurus, called [[279]]Τιτθειον ορος Απολλωνος. There was a summit of the like nature at Samos, which, is by Callimachus styled the breast of Parthenia: [[280]]Διαβροχον ὑδατι μαστον Παρθενιης. Mounds of this nature are often, by Pausanias and Strabo, termed, from their resemblance, [[281]]μαστοειδεις. Tithonus, whose longevity is so much celebrated, was nothing more than one of these structures, a Pharos, sacred to the sun, as the name plainly shews. Tith-On is μαστος ἑλιου, the mount of the [[282]]Sun. As he supplied the place of that luminary, he is said to have been beloved by Aurora, and through her favour to have lived many ages. This, indeed, is the reverse of that which is fabled of the [[283]]Cyclopes, whose history equally relates to edifices. They are said to have raised the jealousy of Apollo, and to have been slain by his arrows: yet it will be found at bottom of the same purport. The Cyclopian turrets upon the Sicilian shore fronted due east: and their lights must necessarily have been extinguished by the rays of the rising Sun. This, I imagine, is the meaning of Apollo's slaying the Cyclopes with his arrows. Tethys, the antient Goddess of the sea, was nothing else but an old tower upon a mount; of the same shape, and erected for the same purposes, as those above. On this account it was called Tith-Is, μαστος πυρος. Thetis seems to have been a transposition of the same name, and was probably a Pharos, or Fire-tower, near the sea.
These mounts, λοφοι μαστοειδεις, were not only in Greece; but in Egypt, Syria, and most parts of the world. They were generally formed by art; being composed of earth, raised very high; which was sloped gradually, and with great exactness: and the top of all was crowned with a fair tower. The situation of these buildings made them be looked upon as places of great safety: and the reverence in which they were held added to the security. On these accounts they were the repositories of much wealth and treasure: in times of peril they were crowded with things of value. In Assyria was a temple named Azara; which the Parthian plundered, and is said to have carried off ten thousand talents: [[284]]Χαι ηρε παλαντων μυριων γαζαν. The same author mentions two towers of this sort in Judea, not far from Jericho, belonging to Aristobulus and Alexander, and styled [[285]]Γαζοφυλακια των Τυραννων: which were taken by Pompeius Magnus in his war with the Jews. There were often two of these mounds of equal height in the same inclosure; such as are described by Josephus at Machærus, near some warm fountains. He mentions here a cavern and a rock; [[286]]σπηλαιον—τῃ πετρᾳ προυχουσῃ σκεπομενον· ταυτης ανωθεν ὡσανει μαστοι δυο ανεχουσιν, αλληλων ολιγῳ διεστωτες: and above it two round hills like breasts, at no great distance from each other. To such as these Solomon alludes, when he makes his beloved say, [[287]]I am a wall, and my breasts like towers. Though the word
חומה
, Chumah, or Comah, be generally rendered a wall; yet I should think that in this place it signified the ground which the wall surrounded: an inclosure sacred to Cham, the Sun, who was particularly worshipped in such places. The Mizraïm called these hills Typhon, and the cities where they were erected, Typhonian. But as they stood within inclosures sacred to Chom, they were also styled Choma. This, I imagine, was the meaning of the term in this place, and in some others; where the text alludes to a different nation, and to a foreign mode of worship. In these temples the Sun was principally adored, and the rites of fire celebrated: and this seems to have been the reason why the judgment denounced against them is uniformly, that they shall be destroyed by fire. If we suppose Comah to mean a mere wall, I do not see why fire should be so particularly destined against a part, which is the least combustible. The Deity says, [[288]]I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus. [[289]]I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza. [[290]]I will send a fire on the wall of Tyrus. [[291]]I will kindle a [[292]]fire in the wall of Rabbah. As the crime which brought down this curse was idolatry, and the term used in all these instances is Chomah; I should think that it related to a temple of Chom, and his high places, called by the Greeks λοφοι μαστοειδεις: and to these the spouse of Solomon certainly alludes, when she Says, εγω τειχος, και ὁι μαστοι μου ὡς πυργοι. This will appear from another passage in Solomon, where he makes his beloved say, [[293]]We have a little sister, and she hath no breasts. If she be a Comah, we will build upon her a palace of silver. A palace cannot be supposed to be built upon a wall; though it may be inclosed with one. The place for building was a Comah, or eminence. It is said of Jotham, king of Judah, that [[294]]on the wall of Ophel he built much. Ophel is literally Pytho Sol, the Ophite Deity of Egypt and Canaan. What is here termed a wall, was a Comah, or high place, which had been of old erected to the sun by the Jebusites. This Jotham fortified, and turned it to advantage; whereas before it was not used, or used for a bad purpose. The ground set apart for such use was generally oval; and towards one extremity of the long diameter, as it were in the focus, were these mounds and towers erected. As they were generally royal edifices, and at the same time held sacred; they were termed Tarchon, like Tarchonium in Hetruria: which by a corruption was in later times rendered Trachon, Τραχων. There were two hills of this denomination near Damascus; from whence undoubtedly the Regio Trachonitis received its name: [[295]]ὑπερκεινται δε αυτης (Δαμασκου) δυο λεγομενοι Τραχωνες. These were hills with towers, and must have been very fair to see to. Solomon takes notice of a hill of this sort upon [[296]]Lebanon, looking toward Damascus; which he speaks of as a beautiful structure. The term Trachon seems to have been still farther sophisticated by the Greeks, and expressed Δρακων, Dracon: from whence in, great measure arose the notion of treasures being guarded by [[297]]Dragons. We read of the gardens of the Hesperides being under the protection of a sleepless serpent: and the golden fleece at Colchis was entrusted to such another guardian; of which there is a fine description in Apollonius.
[[298]]Πυργους εισοψεσθε Κυταεος Αιηταο,
Αλσος τε σκιοεν Αρεος, τοθι κωας επ' ακρης
Πεπταμενον φηγοιο Δρακων, τερας αινον ιδεσθαι,
Αμφις οπιπτευει δεδοκημενος· ουδε ὁι ημαρ,
Ου κνεφας ἡδυμος ὑπνος αναιδεα δαμναται οσσε.