I. I have never seen it yet noticed, that the names _Pyrrha_, _Aeolus_,
_Xuthus_, _Ion_, are all names of _colours_. Is there anything in this, or
is it fortuitous?
II. In accordance with the above, I think we may refer most of the names of
the early inhabitants of Greece to words denoting _light_ or _colour_, or
the like.
(1.) _Pelas-gi._ The first part of this word is, by Mr. Donaldson,
connected with [Greek: mel-as], which is also, probably, the root of
_Mol-ossi_.
(2.) _Hellenes_, connected with _Helli_, _Selli_, [Greek: selas, heule,
helios]. This derivation is made more probable {28} by the fact, that the
neighbouring Pelasgic tribes have a similar meaning; _e.g._,
_Perrhaebi_, alike to _Pyrrha_ and [Greek: pur]; _Aethices_, [Greek:
aitho], _Tymphaei_, [Greek: tupho]; _Hestiaei_, [Greek: hestia]. Add to
this, that the name _Phthiotis_ seems indubitably to derive its name from
_Phthah_, the Egyptian _Hephaestus_, and to be a translation of the word
_Hellas_.
N.B.--The existence of an Egyptian colony in that part is attested by the
existence of a Phthiotic _Thebae_.
(3.) On the other hand, the word _Achaeus_ seems to be connected with
[Greek: achos, achnumai], and [Greek: achlus] in the sense of gloom (of
[Greek: ouranion achos]). So the Homeric _Cimmerians_ are derived from
[Hebrew: KIMRIYRIY] (Job), denoting _darkness_.
(4.) Lastly, I submit with great diffidence the following examination of
the words _Dorus_ and the Aeolian _Minyae_, which I shall attempt to derive
from words denoting _sun_ and _moon_ respectively.
The word _Dorus_ I assume to be connected with the first part of the names
_Dry-opes_ and _Dol-opes_. The metathesis in the first case seems
sanctioned by the analogy of the Sanscrit _dri_ and Greek [Greek: deiro],
and the mutation of _l_ and _r_ in the second is too common in Greek and
Latin to admit of any doubt, _e.g._ [Greek: ar-galeos] and [Greek:
algaletos]; _Sol_ and _Soracte_. With this premised, I think we may be
justified in connecting the following words with one another.
_Dores_, _Dryopes_ with [Greek: Seirios] (of [Greek: Sios] and [Greek:
Dios]) [Greek: Theros], the Scythian sun-god [Greek: Oito-surus], the
Egyptian _O-siris_, and perhaps the Hebrew [Hebrew: DWOR] and Greek [Greek:
deros] (the course of the sun being the emblem of eternity).--_Dol-opes_
with _Sol_, [Greek: heile], _Selli_, &c.
On the other hand, the neighbouring _Minyae_ seem connected with [Greek:
minutho, minuntha], _minus_,--all with the sense of _decreasing_ or
_waning_; hence referable, both in sense and (I fancy) in derivation, to
Greek [Greek: men], and Latin _men-sis_.