13.07.2015 Views

A new edition of Toland's History of the druids: - Free History Ebooks

A new edition of Toland's History of the druids: - Free History Ebooks

A new edition of Toland's History of the druids: - Free History Ebooks

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

NOTES. 289sufficient for my purpose to have incontroverllbly establishedthat Cctrneus was, among <strong>the</strong> Greeks, a name <strong>of</strong> Apollo, andthat in <strong>the</strong>ir language, no rational or satisfactory etymon <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>word can be found. Indeed when we see such eminont Greekscholars as Mr. Bryant and Dr. Tytler rendering Carnens ahorn, or a stork, and at <strong>the</strong> same time making it synonimouswith Clarios^ it is evident <strong>the</strong> Greek analysis is untenable, andmust be given up.Such has been, and always will be, <strong>the</strong> fate<strong>of</strong> hunting for etymologies in a language where (hey arenot tobe found.Cam is a word so peculiarly Celtic, that It can hardly be mis,taken. Its regular adjective is Carnach, Carneach, Carnadh,This last is pronounced Camay ^ to which <strong>the</strong> Greeks added <strong>the</strong>irtermination os, and formed Carneios.It signifies any thing pertainingto a Carn, and hence frequently signifies a priest.Apollowas named Carneios^ from being worshipped at <strong>the</strong> Cams, in <strong>the</strong>same manner as Jupiter was named Olympius from being worshippedat Olympus, or <strong>the</strong> said Apollo Delphicus from being"worshipped at Delphi.Indeed Mr. Bryant very rationally supposes,that <strong>the</strong> numerous appellations <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> deities originatedin <strong>the</strong> Greeks mistaking <strong>the</strong> place <strong>of</strong> worship for <strong>the</strong> deity worshipped,so that <strong>the</strong> different names <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> gods were only <strong>the</strong>names <strong>of</strong> as many temples. If so, what name could have beenfound in <strong>the</strong> Celtic districts, more appropriate to Apollo thaaCarneios. See BrijanVs Mythology^ vol, I, p. 107. In <strong>the</strong> CeUtic we have many derivatives <strong>of</strong> Carn, viz. Carnariy a little CarnCarnam, to make a Carn, Carnal, a heap <strong>of</strong> stones, Carn^a,piled up, &c. &c.Fortunately <strong>the</strong> Spartans have preserved to u^ in <strong>the</strong>ir monthCarneus <strong>the</strong> name <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> deity worshipped, and <strong>the</strong> A<strong>the</strong>niansin <strong>the</strong>ir month Metageitnion^ which signifies a transvicination,or change <strong>of</strong> neighbourhood, have preserved <strong>the</strong> important fact,that this festival was introduced into Greece by foreigners.I have already observed that both <strong>the</strong>se months are <strong>the</strong> same,and this Celtic colony which migrated to Sparta must have beenT^ry powerful, o<strong>the</strong>rwise <strong>the</strong> Spartans and A<strong>the</strong>nians would sot

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!