PATÆCI, in mythology, images of gods which the Phoenicians carried on the prows of their galleys. Herodotus, lib. iv. calls them παταξιοι. The word is Phoenician, and derived from petheka, i.e. titulus. See Bochart's Chamaan, lib. ii. cap. 3. But Scaliger does not agree. Morin derives it from παταξιοι, monkey, this animal having been an object of worship among the Egyptians, and hence might have been honoured by their neighbours. Mr Elfiner has observed, that Herodotus does not call the patæci gods; but that they obtained this dignity from the liberality of Hesychius and Suidas, and other ancient lexicographers, who place them at the stern of ships; whereas Herodotus placed them at the prow. Scaliger, Bochart, and Selden, have taken some pains about this subject.—Mr Morin has also given us a learned dissertation on this head in the Memoires de l'Acad. des Inscript. &c Belles Lettres, tom. i.; but Mr Elfiner thinks it defective in point of evidence.