NOTES UPON THE NAMES OF SOME OF THE EARLY INHABITANTS OF HELLAS.
I. I have never seen it yet noticed, that the names Pyrrha, Æolus, 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 μέλ-ας, which is also, probably, the root of Mol-ossi.
(2.) Hellenes, connected with Helli, Selli, σέλας, εὕλη, ἥλιος. This derivation is made more probable
by the fact, that the neighbouring Pelasgic tribes have a similar meaning; e.g.,
Perrhæbi, alike to Pyrrha and πῦρ; Æthices, αἴθω, Tymphæi, τύφω; Hestiæi, ἑστία. Add to this, that the name Phthiotis seems indubitably to derive its name from Phthah, the Egyptian Hephæstus, 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 Thebæ.
(3.) On the other hand, the word Achæus seems to be connected with ἄχος, ἀχνύμαι, and ἄχλυς in the sense of gloom (of οὐράνιον ἄχος). So the Homeric Cimmerians are derived from
כִּמְרִירִי
(Job), denoting darkness.
(4.) Lastly, I submit with great diffidence the following examination of the words Dorus and the Æolian Minyæ, 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 drî and Greek δείρω, and the mutation of l and r in the second is too common in Greek and Latin to admit of any doubt, e.g. ἀρ-γαλέος and ἀλγαλέτος; Sol and Soracte. With this premised, I think we may be justified in connecting the following words with one another.
Dores, Dryopes with Σείριος (of Σιός and Δῖος) Θέρος, the Scythian sun-god Οἰτό-συρυς, the Egyptian O-siris, and perhaps the Hebrew
דוֹר
and Greek δηρὸς (the course of the sun being the emblem of eternity).—Dol-opes with Sol, εἵλη, Selli, &c.
On the other hand, the neighbouring Minyæ seem connected with μινύθω, μίνυνθα, minus,—all with the sense of decreasing or waning; hence referable, both in sense and (I fancy) in derivation, to Greek μὴν, and Latin men-sis.
J. H. J.