42 Η τε Δωδωνη, Διος Μαντείον, ίδρυμ' εςι δ' εν Πελασγικον. The rites of the place were introduced from Egypt; as we are assured by Herodotus, and other writers: consequently the people, who founded the temple, and instituted those rites, were from the same country. The Deity was there worshipped under the title of Zeuth, whom Homer styles Pelasgic: 43 Ζευ, Ανα, Δωδωναιε, Πελασγικέ, τηλοθι ναιων, The priestesses of the temple have been mentioned under the character of two black Doves, which came from Theba in Egypt. In short, the name of Pelasgi seems to have been the most antient and "general of any, which were assumed by those foreigners, who came into the land of Javan. They forced themselves into countries pre-occupied : and were so superior to the natives in ability and Apud Geogr. Vet. vol. 1. p. 26. v. 448. Δωδώνης, φυγον τε, Πελασγων, ἕδρανον ήκεν. i. 7. p. 504. See also l. 5. p. 338. * Iliad. II, v. 233. Hesiod. apud Strab. All the Peloponnesus according to Ephorus was esteemed Pelasgic. Και την Πελοπόννησον δε Πελασγίαν φησιν Εφορος κληθηναι. ab. 1. 5. p. 338. See this certified in the Pelasgi, who came to Italy. Dionys Hal.carn. 1. 1. c. 10. p. 9. & 14. science, that they easily secured themselves in their settlements. Many have been the inquiries about this antient people, as well as concerning their language. Even Herodotus is at a loss to determine whether they should not be esteemed Barbarians. Yet he seems to solve the difficulty more than once; and this too in a very satisfactory manner, by mentioning, among other instances, 47 Ives ПEλayo, that the Ionians were Pelasgic; 48 το Αττικον εθνος Πελασ yinov; the people of Attica were Pelasgic. He likewise speaks of the 49 Arcadians under this denomination and seems to include all the Dorians, the whole of the 5° Peloponnesus, under the same title. He speaks also of the Eolians in the same light: Αιολέες δε το παλαι καλεομενοι Πελασγοι. From 50 46 He acknowledges his uncertainty about them. Oux sxw αтfe NEWS LITELY. 1. 1. c. 57. 47 L. 7. c. 95. 48 L. 1. c. 57. 49 Açxades Пeλaoya. l. 1. c. 146. The Jones of Achaia were called Пay Aryiahs. 1. 7. c. 94. Pelasgi also in Crete, and in various regions. Strab. 1. 5. p 338. 5° Herodot. l. 1. c. 56 He is speaking of the Dorians in the Peloponnesus, and of the Athenians; which two families he styles, το μεν Πελασγικόν, το δε Ελληνικον εθνος. By this one woul imagine, that be excluded the Athenians from being Pelasgie The passage is very confused. s L. 7. c. 95. All the coast of Phrygia was peopled by them. They built the cities Theba and Larissa in Troas. Ιπποθοος δ' αγε φυλα Πελασγών εγχεσιμώρων, Των, οι Λαρισσαν εριβώλακα ναιετάασκον, Hom. Il. Β. v. 840 Lence we may be assured, that by the Pelasgi are meant the antient Dores, Iones, and Hellenes: in short, all those Cuthite colonies, and those of their collateral branches, which I include under the name of Amonians. When therefore it is said, that Greece was first occupied by Pelasgi; and afterwards by Leleges; and then by Hellenes, Dores, and Ionians; it is only a change of title, but no difference of people for they were all of the same great family, Lowever branched out. The same is to be observed in the history of any particular city, such as Athens. 5- Έξης Αθην ̓ ὡς φασιν οικετας λαβειν Το μεν Πελασγός πρωτον, ἐς δη και λογος Απο της Αθήνας την προσηγορίαν λαβειν. All these were different names of the same people. In like manner the people of Argos, in a play of Euripides, are addressed by Orestes, as the same race under different appellations. 53 Ω γην Ιναχε κεκτημένοι, Παλαι Πελασγοι, Δαναΐδαι δε δευτερον. "Scymnus Chius apud. Geogr. Vet. vol. i. p. 32. v. 558, "Eur.pid. Orest. v. 930. The like is to be observed in a passage from the Archelaus of the same author. In respect to the Arcadians, they are said to have been so named from " Arcas the son of Zeuth, being before called Pelasgians. But Pelasgus, who was prior, and the very first man in the country, was called 57 Arcas: from which circumstance a strange inconsistency arises: for the country is supposed to have been called Arcadia, before the birth of the person, from whom the name was received. It is therefore plain that the term Arcas was a title; and that by Pelasgus Arcas was meant Pelasgus the 58 Arkite. And when the people of Phrygia and 54 Apud Strab. 1. 5. p. 339. 55 Pausanias. 1. 8, p. 604. 56 Πελασγος εν τη γη ταύτη πρωτος. Ibid. 1. s. p. 598. 37 Пλα- Apxados. Ibid. 1. 2. here to make him the son of Arcas. Either way it is incon sistent. Jason. Hera, the same as lönah, is styled Pelasgis. It is said of Hens de Пcharidos en aλyığır. Apollon. Rhod. 1. 1. v. 14 Hetruria were said to be 9 ανεκαθεν Αρκαδες ; the true purport of the expression was, that they were ab origine Arkites. Neither Argolis, nor Arcadia, could have sufficed to have sent out the colonies, which are said to have proceeded from them. They are supposed to have filled regions, before they were constituted as a people. The Grecians in their histories have been embarrassed and confounded with a variety of titles. They tried to separate them, and to form distinctions: by which means their mythology became more and more confused. The only way is to unite instead of diversifying: and to shew that these titles, however varied, were but one in purport: that they all related nearly to the same person, and to one event. By this method of proceeding we shall render the history both obvious and true. The accounts of which we have been treating, were adopted by the Grecians; and as it were ingrafted upon the history of the country: and the principal terms, in which they were described, were equally foreign and imported. I have mentioned, that by the appellation Areas we are to understand an 6 Arkite and who 60 Dionys. Halicarn. 1. 1. c. 10. p. 9. Пλoys; avınadır Agzadas. Strab. 1. 5. p. 337. and Schol. in Dionys. Perieg. ▼. 347. When it is said by Hyginus, Arcades res divinas primi Diis fecerunt; it only means, that the Arkites, the sons of Ham, were the first, who introduced polytheism. Hygin. c. 274. p. 387. |