As in these temples there was always a [[733]]light, and a fire burning on the hearth, some of the Grecians have varied in their etymology, and have derived the name from πυρ, Pur. Suidas supposes it to have been originally called Πυρος ταμειον. [[734]]Πρυτανειον, πυρος ταμειον, ενθα ην ασβεστον πυρ. The Scholiast upon Thucydides speaks to the same purpose. [[735]]Αλλοι δε φασιν, ὁτι το Πρυτανειον πυρος ην ταμειον, ενθα ην ασβεστον πυρ. Others tell us, that the Prutaneion was of old called Puros Tameion, from πυρ, pur: because it was the repository of a perpetual fire. It was sacred to Hestia, the Vesta of the Romans; which was only another title for Damater: and the sacred hearth had the same name. [[736]]Ἑστιαν δ' αν κυριωτατα καλοιης την εν Πρυτανειῳ, εφ' ἡς το πυρ το ασβεστον αναπτεται. I have mentioned, that these places were temples, and at the same time courts of justice: hence we find, that in the Prutaneion at Athens, the laws of Solon were [[737]]engraved. These laws were described upon wooden cylinders: some of which remained to the time of [[738]]Plutarch.
Many of these temples were dedicated to the Deity under the name of Persephone, or Proserpine, the supposed daughter of Ceres. They were in reality the same personage. Persephone was styled Κορα, Cora; which the Greeks misinterpreted Παρθενος, the virgin, or damsel. How could a person, who according to the received accounts had been ravished by Pluto, and been his consort for ages; who was the reputed queen of hell, be styled by way of eminence Παρθενος? Κορα, Cora, which they understood was the same as Cura, a feminine title of the sun: by which Ceres also was called at Cnidos. However mild and gentle Proserpine may have been represented in her virgin state by the Poets; yet her tribunal seems in many places to have been very formidable. In consequence of this we find her with Minos, and Rhadamanthus, condemned to the shades below, as an infernal inquisitor. Nonnus says,
[[739]]Περσεφονη θωρηξεν Εριννυας.
Proserpine armed the furies. The notion of which Furies arose from the cruelties practised in these Prutaneia. They were called by the Latines, Furiæ; and were originally only priests of fire: but were at last ranked among the hellish tormentors. Ceres the benefactress, and lawgiver, was sometimes enrolled in the list of these dæmons. This is manifest from a passage in Antimachus, quoted by Pausanias, where her temple is spoken of as the shrine of a Fury.
[[740]]Δημητρος, τοθι φασιν Εριννυος ειναι εδεθλον.
The like is mentioned by the Scholiast upon Lycophron, [[741]]Εριννυς ἡ Δημητηρ εν Ογκαις πολει της Αρκαδιας τιμᾳται. Her temple stood upon the river Ladon, and she had this name given to her by the people of the place. Καλουσι δε Εριννυν ὁι Θελπουσιοι την Θεον. The Thelpusians call the Goddess Demeter a Fury. Herodotus speaks of a Prutaneion in Achaia Pthiotic, called Leïtus; of which he gives a fearful account. No person, he says, ever entered the precincts, who returned. Whatever person ever strayed that way, was immediately seized upon by the priests, and sacrificed. The custom so far prevailed, that many, who thought they were liable to suffer, fled away to foreign parts. And he adds, that after a long time, when any of them ventured to return, if they were caught, they were immediately led to the Prutaneion. Here they were crowned with garlands. and in great parade conducted to the altar. I shall quote the author's words. [[742]]Ληιτον δε καλεουσι το Πρυτανηιον ὁι Αχαιοι· ην δε εσελθῃ, ουκ εστι, ὁκως εξεισι, πριν η θυσεσθαι μελλῃ· ὡστε τι προς τουτοισι πολλοι ηδε των μελλοντων τουτεων θυσεσθαι, δεισαντες οιχοντο αποδραντες ες αλλην χωρην. Χρονου δε προϊοντος, οπισω κατελθοντες, ην αλισκωνται, εστελλοντο ες το Πρυτανηιον, ὡς θυεται τε εξηγεοντο, στεμμασι πας πυκασθεις, και ὡς συν πομπῃ εξαχθεις. The people of Leïtus are said to have been the sons of Cutissorus. Herodotus speaks of the temple, as remaining in his time: and of the custom still subsisting. He farther mentions, that when Xerxes was informed of the history of this place, as he passed through Thessaly, he withheld himself from being guilty of any violation. And he moreover ordered his army to pay due regard to its sanctity; so very awful, it seems, was mysterious cruelty.
I imagine, that the story of the Harpies relates to priests of the Sun. They were denominated from their seat of residence, which was an oracular temple called Harpi, and Hirpi, analogous to Orphi, and Urphi in other places. I have shewn, that the antient name of a priest was Cahen, rendered mistakenly κυν, and canis. Hence the Harpies, who were priests of Ur, are styled by Apollonius, the Dogs of Jove. His accosting Calais, and Zethus, tells them, that it would be a profanation to offer any injury to those personages.
[[743]]Ου θεμις, ω ὑιεις Βορεου ξιφεεσιν ελασσαν
Ἁρπυιας, μεγαλοιο Διος ΚYΝΑΣ.
This term in the common acceptation is not applicable to the Harpies, either as birds, for so they are represented; or as winged animals. But this representation was only the insigne of the people, as the vulture, and eagle were of the Egyptians: a lion of the Persians. The Harpies were certainly a [[744]]college of priests in Bithynia; and on that account called Cahen. They seem to have been a set of rapacious persons, who, for their repeated acts of violence, and cruelty, were driven out of the country. Their temple was styled Arpi; and the environs Arpi-ai: hence the Grecians formed [[745]]Ἁρπυιαι. There was a region in Apulia named Arpi; and in its neighbourhood were the islands of Diomedes, and the birds, which were fabled to have been like swans. I have before shewn, that they were Amonian priests: so likewise were the Hirpi near Soracte in Latium. They were priests of fire: of whose customs I have taken notice.