[[603]]Ὁι Ζηνι βροντην τ' εδοσαν, τευξαν τε κεραυνον.
The Poets considered them merely in the capacity of blacksmiths, and condemned them to the anvil. This arose from the chief Cyclopian Deity being called Acmon, and Pyracmon. He was worshipped under the former title in Phrygia; where was a city and district called Acmonia, mentioned by Alexander [[604]]Polyhistor. The Amazonians paid the like reverence: and there was a sacred grove called Acmonium upon the [[605]]Thermodon, which was held in great repute. He was by some looked upon as the offspring of heaven; by others worshipped as Ouranus, and Cœlus, the heaven itself; and Acmonides was supposed to have been his [[606]]son, whom some of the mythologists made the ruling spirit of the earth. Hence Simmias Rhodius introduces Divine Love displaying his influence, and saying, that he produced Acmonides, that mighty monarch of the earth, and at the same time founded the sea. [[607]]Λευσσε με τον Γας τε βαρυστερνου Ανακτ' Ακμονιδαν, ταν ἁλα θ' ἑδρασαντα.
Acmon seems to have been worshipped of old at Tiryns, that antient city of Greece, whose towers were said to have been built by the Cyclopians. For Acmon was the Cyclopian Deity; and is represented by Callimachus as the tutelary God of the place, though the passage has been otherwise interpreted.
[[608]]Τοιος γαρ αει Τιρυνθιος Ακμων
Ἑστηκε προ πυλεων.
The term has commonly been looked upon as an adjective; and the passage has been rendered Talis Tirynthius indefessus, which is scarce sense. Callimachus was very knowing in mythology, and is here speaking of the Cyclopian God Acmon, whom he makes the θεος προπυλαιος, or guardian Deity of the place. It was the same God, that was afterwards called Hercules, and particularly styled Tirynthius, to whom Callimachus here alludes, under a more antient name.
As the Cyclopians were great artists, they probably were famous for works in brass, and iron: and that circumstance in their history may have been founded in truth. The Idæi Dactyli were Cyclopians: and they are said to have first forged metals, and to have reduced them to common [[609]]use; the knowledge of which art they obtained from the fusion of minerals at the burning of mount [[610]]Ida. Whether this was an eruption of fire from the internal part of the mountain, or only a fire kindled among the forests, which crowned its summit, cannot be determined. It was an event of antient date; and admitted, as a remarkable epocha, in the most early series of chronology. From this event the Curetes, and Corybantes, who were the same as the [[611]]Idæi Dactyli, are supposed to have learned the mystery of fusing and forging metals. From them it was propagated to many countries westward, particularly to the Pangæan mountains, and the region Curetis, where the Cyclopians dwelt in Thrace: also to the region Trinacia and Leontina, near Ætna, which they occupied in Sicily.
Thus have I endeavoured to shew the true history [[612]]and antiquity of this people: and we may learn from their works, [[613]]that there was a time, when they were held in high estimation. They were denominated from their worship: and their chief Deity among other titles was styled Acmon, and Pyracmon. They seem to have been great in many sciences: but the term Acmon signifying among the Greeks an anvil, the Poets have limited them to one base department, and considered them as so many blacksmiths. And as they resided near Ætna, they have made the burning mountain their forge:
[[614]]Ferrum exercebant vasto Cyclopes in antro,
Brontesque, Steropesque, et nudus membra Pyracmon.