the Greeks in general, especially when they are speaking of the early ages of Greece."

It must not, however, be disguised, that a great deal of obscurity and uncertainty hangs on the subject of the Pelasgi, arising from the inconsistent and even contradictory views, which not only the different writers, but the same writers, among the Greeks, have given of this tribe. When the term Pelasgi became pretty generally employed to express the insular Greeks, in contradistinction to other people, it was natural for the islanders themselves to adopt it occasionally, not to express themselves as a whole nation in opposition to other nations, but to designate certain tribes among themselves, who occupied, or were once known to occupy, the vicinity of the sea. One fact will illustrate this conclusion, Stephanus Byzantinus explains Θεσσαλία as being ἡ πρότερον Πελασ γία. For this reason Πελασγοί was another name for Θεσσαλοι. We Are then to conclude that Πελασγία is synonymous with Θεσσαλία, and Πελασγοί with Θέσσαλοι. But Θεσσαλία, or Thessaly, was a district so called from its connexion with the sea on the eastern side, Θεσσαλία being a corruption of θαλασσία, i. e. Θαλασσία 7. On the same principle then the kindred names IIλayla and Πελασγιοι were derived from πέλαγος. What is true of Thessaly is true also of Peloponnesus, which from its insular situation was called Teλaryía. If these general remarks are just, the inquiry of Dr. Marsh falls to the ground, as founded altogether on misconception.

I will in a future Journal make a few observations on the Digamma, and examine whether he is more correct in his ideas of the real nature of this letter, than he is of the origin of the Pelasgi.

J. JONES.

59

NOTICE

Of a German Treatise, entitled: Ueber die Gottheiten Von Samothrace. Eine Abhandlung Von Fried. Wilh. Joseph Schelling. (Vorgelesen in der, zur Feyer des allerhöchsten Namensfestes Sr. Majestaet des Koenigs von Baiern gehaltenen offentlichen Versammlung der Akademie der Wissenschaften, am 12 October, 1815). Or On the Deities of Samothrace. A Treatise by F. W. J. SCHELLING. 1815.

IN the Island of Samothrace, from the earliest periods of that nation, a secret worship of certain Gods, called Cabiri, prevailed. Their antiquity exceeds that of any other deities of Greece; it was coeval with the first dawn of knowledge. It is attested by ancient writers, and it was generally supposed, that the Samothracian mysteries improved and perfected those who were initiated in them, and who became happier and more cheerful in life and death, as well as animated with finer feelings. For this reason the Island was sacred to the Greeks. Jason and Dardanus, Orpheus and the Argonauts, Hercules and Ulysses, it is said, either assisted, or were at least initiated in the secret worship. Nor did Pythagoras and others search in vain for wisdom here. These mysteries continued till the 3rd century. Even now perhaps some traces of them are still to be found in this Island; indeed this worship well merits a new, an attentive and serious investigation. The peculiar signification and province of each of the Cabirian Gods is not yet known; nor is it ascertained how these Gods, as objects of a secret system of philosophy and worship, were distinguished from those of common belief and public adoration. One account indeed, preserved by accident, appears to contain the original names and authentic genealogy of the Samothracian deities. The following is the passage of the greek Scholiast on Apollonius Rhod. Arg. v. 917. SAMOTHRACE they receive the Initiations of the CABIRI. MNASEAS says, they are three in number, AXIEROS, AXIOKERSA, AXIOKERSOS. AXIEROS is DEMETER, AXIOKERSA PERSEPHONE, AXIOKERSOS HADES. Some add also a fourth, by the name of KASMILOS, who according to DIONYSO DOROS is HERMES.

"In

Both the order and number of the deities mentioned in this passage demand attention. From the peculiar signification of the expressive original names, we may investigate the idea formed of each deity by an author, who, as he knew their secret names, could not but be aware of the meaning attached to them. It is agreed, that

these names are not of Grecian etymology. The language, from which they originate, can only be determined by the linguist. The general, and to the linguist therefore insignificant, Egyptian derivations of Zoega cannot be admitted. It is left undecided, whether the Hindu languages afford a more satisfactory explication of the subject,

From the general and continued veneration paid to these Gods by sailors, we are entitled to conclude, that originally they probably belonged to a race of navigators. This was, in those times, only the Phenician nation. Herod ii. 44. VI. 47. Cic. de nat. D, iii. 37, &c. They settled in Samothrace, and carved or painted gods on their ships like the Ægyptian Cabiri. Herod. iii. 37. The first Orgies of Bacchus were also introduced by those Phenicians, who with the Tyrian Cadmus established themselves in Baotia. Herod. ii. 49. The names of the Cabirian gods must therefore be derived from the Phenician or the Hebrew language, which are the same,

The author, considering the difficulties, the mistakes, uses and rules of etymology, adds, in one of the numerous notes, which are full of very important matter, that the uncertainty of etymological explication of the names of deities arises from the multiplicity of the attributes of each deity. For every god comprehends the universe. Hence it must necessarily happen, that out of the vast number of significations of each name some one occurs to the etymologist, corresponding with some quality of the god. He ought therefore to know the principal or fundamental idea of the god, and the root or source of all his other derivative or secondary qualities; or he may discover a great number of derivations, without being able to assign, which is the principal or essential signification; and thus, because he does not know the leading idea or fundamental quality of the god, which this signification indicates, that signification, however obvious it may be, escapes him. But this leading idea of each god is only to be determined by the place, which he holds in the general system of gods. He therefore, who is not acquainted at least with the ground-plot of the whole system of the gods, though he may accidentally discover the right derivation, yet having no certain principle to direct his researches, can Bever be certain that he is right.

After laying down the most reasonable rules of etymology the author continues;

The word Axi, as prefixed to the three names (perhaps the Persian dignitas, majestas) is common to them all, but being of no importance, it is not particularly noticed. For the rest, according to the literal etymology, Axieras, the first Cabir, in the Hebrew language means hunger, want, indigence, desire, longing. Indeed the primary Being, although plenitude in itself,

yet having no other, to whom it may impart itself, must feel a sensation of need and indigence. Every idea of REAL beginning involves the idea of want. Thus the Platonic Penia, by a connexion with abundance, became the mother of Eros. This too, as the first of gods, proceeded out of the mundane egg, which was brought forth by Night, the most ancient or first being (although not the supreme), that Night which is not hostile to light, but existing in the expectation of it.

Another image of this primitive Being is Fire, which is also in a certain sense nothing but desire of essence. Hence that ancient tenet, that fire is the most internal and therefore the most ancient entity: and that it was not till after its extinction that the formation of the world became possible. Hence also it is, that Hestia has been venerated as the most ancient divinity, like Ceres' () and Proserpine, who have been confounded with her. What is the Basis of every thing, is struggling to rise into being, like the departed souls, who are represented as pining for a real existence; whence they have been by the Egyptians subjected to Ceres. Hence Erysichthon's hunger and the punishment of the Danaides. Ceres, as goddess of abundance, is younger than Ceres, the desire antecedent to the satisfaction.

A Phenician cosmogony puts time before all the gods, because time, comprehending all succession or numbers, does not calculate itself, and is not a number. Next to time this theory ranks desire. Another fragment of Phenician cosmogony, by which the author confirms the preceding, (p. 15) is not less interesting.

The second Cabir is Axiokersa (Chald. N), who from the centre of nature draws every thing out of the first shapeless state into formation, by what ought etymologically to be called charms, that is, her power of attraction. The deity, which as the flame of Vesta, is formless, assumes, as Persephone, a shape, in which an indissoluble living charm is necessarily inherent. She is an enchantress as producing corporeal existence, as weaving this cloth of mortality, and as the cause of the illusion of the senses-in fine as the first link of that chain, which reaching from the profoundest depth to the supreme height, connects the beginning with the end. She is the Maja of the Hinaus, the Isis of the Egyptians, the Freya of the ancient Germans and the Artemis of the Greeks.

The third Cabir, Axiokersos is the conqueror of the charm of Persephone, or of the Libera; he, who allays and represses the original fire. Both build the world by a double charm, of which one conquers, not destroys the other. He is the same with the Othin of the ancient Germans, Osiris of the Ægyptians and the Dionysos of the Greeks. He is likewise Hudes, Pluto and Jupiter Stygius, king of the departed souls. The most beneficent and animating doctrine of the mysteries seems to have been this: that the friendly

god Dionysos is also the Hades, "Aons xal Aióvucos ó autós. Plut. de Is. & Osir. the souls go not down to the severe subterranean Zeus, but rise to the mild and liberal god Osiris. Hence that frequently used blessing: eux μerà To 'Orípidos. He is properly εὐψυχεῖ μετὰ τοῦ Οσίριδος. Kersor, the Kgvog of Sanchoniathon, who is called Hephæstos; as indeed every Cabir is an Hephastos, which seems also a general name for them on the Egyptian monument of Rosetta. He is 8, who forges, works, that is conjures the fire, Genes. iv. 22. the enchanter of fire, Demiurg, Kersor, Chrysor. This is not to be perfectly understood without a knowledge of the secret doctrine of fire, known also to the Hebrews, who distinguished 8, the essence of fire, by which fire burns, from . The interesting arguments, by which the author supports this etymology and others according with it, of the words in question, are to be found in the notes of the original. Axiokersos is also às of the Egyptians, or, 'Aplàs or là, who opens, л. In what manner Dionysos is the opener, discloser of the fire, is explained in the ancient theorem: “ Κόσμος—πῦρ ἀειζῶον, ἁπτόμενον μέτρα (Euseb. μέτρα) καὶ ἀποσβεννύμενον μέτρα the world is an eternally living fire, which alternately burns and is extinguished. There is a kindling power (Ceres, Isis, Persephone, &c. the first nature,) and another, who represses the fire kindled, and thus becomes the first opener of nature, resolving her into gentle life and soft corporality: this is Osiris or Dionysos. Heraklit and Hippasus said: Τοῦ πυρὸς κατασβεννυμένου κοσμοποιεῖσθαι τὰ πάντα. Hence Osiris is called Εὐεργέτης, ἀγαθοποιός, and Dionysos ὡς κύριος τῆς ὑγρᾶς φύσεως. He is the same, who extinguishes the fire of the departed souls.

,

In this connexion we find every where likewise Demeter Persephone and Dionysos.

The fourth Cabir is Kadmilos or Hermes, an attendant God, but who is not the servant of the preceding, at least not in the same sense as in his relation to the higher Gods. He is the mediator between the three first or the inferior angels and the superior gods: obedient to these, he is to those beneficent-Superis Deorum gratus et imis.

מלאך הפנים

Kaduínos is from prior, antecedens. So in the Old Testament. This signifies, according to the languages of the East, that he is the herald of God, he who announces His coming, or proclaims His arrival. He is His prophet. He is Es. Ixiii. 9. also Exod. xxiii. 20. so an idea which the author explains in the first volume of his work intitled: Dic Weltulter, the ages of the world. Aaron is represented as being in a similar relation to Moses, and John to Christ; he is the Hermes— Camillas of the Etruscan religion, the Cadmilos of the Greeks, the