, Sacan[[482]], near, because they were near their next neighbours; in other words, on account of their being next to the Pœni. Sicani, qui Siculorum Pœnis proximi. But, according to the best accounts, the Sicani were the most antient people of any in these parts. They settled in Sicily before the foundation of Carthage; and could not have been named from any such vicinity. In short, Bochart, in most of his derivations, refers to circumstances too general; which might be adapted to one place as well as to another. He looks upon the names of places, and of people, rather as by-names, and chance appellations, than original marks of distinction; and supposes them to have been founded upon some subsequent history. Whereas they were, most of them, original terms of high antiquity, imported and assumed by the people themselves, and not imposed by others.
How very casual and indeterminate the references were by which this learned man was induced to form his etymologies, let the reader judge from the samples below. These were taken, for the most part, from his accounts of the Grecian islands; not industriously picked out; but as they casually presented themselves upon turning over the book. He derives [[483]]Delos from
דהל
, Dahal timor. [[484]]Cynthus, from
חנט
, Chanat, in lucem edere. [[485]]Naxos, from nicsa, sacrificium; or else from nicsa, opes. [[486]]Gyarus, from acbar, softened to acuar, a mouse; for the island was once infested with mice. [[487]]Pontus, in Asia Minor, from
בטנא
, botno, a pistachio nut. [[488]]Icaria, from icar, pastures: but he adds, tamen alia etymologia occurrit, quam huic præfero
אי כורי
, Icaure, sive insula piscium. [[489]]Chalcis, in Eubea, from Chelca, divisio. [[490]]Seriphus, from resiph, and resipho, lapidibus stratum. [[491]]Patmos, from