On Proper Names. 273 



national characteristics, their haughty assumptions of superi- 

 ority, and their real pre-eminence, in whatever marked refine- 

 ment in taste or elevation of sentiment. How inexpressibly 

 must a language be enriched by the contrivance of making 

 every mention of a proper name not only convey a pleasing 

 sensation to the ear, but raise a grateful image in the imagi- 

 nation, or awaken a train of ideas in the understanding ! The 

 following are a slight specimen. 



Themistocles,* . . . renowned Cor justice. 



.)iiai37 Philippus, .... a lover of horses. 



.., ,..\ Alexander, . . . . a power auxiliary. 



Thrasybulus, .... daring in counsel. 



Theophilus, .... a lover of God. 



Aristobulus, .... an able counsellor. 



Sophronia the prudent. 



Alithea, the true. 



Euphemia, .... of fair fame. ,j, 



Philadelphia, .... brotherly love. _ 



Euphrasia, .... of fair speech. 



Theodora, .... the gift of God. 



In adopting sirnames, the Greeks chiefly used patronymics, 

 and in this, as in all similar cases, the great object was, to 

 render this process an instrument of making their language 

 more euphonous, picturesque, and poetical. They frequently 

 converted the patronymic into an epithet as rEeXeia^eos- Ax*^- 

 Xei/5- ; Achilles the son of Peleus ; Arpsi^rt!^ Aya/xeptv6;v, Aga- 

 memnon the sonof Atreus. Sometimes to render the phrase 

 more poetical, they introduced also the term of relationship as 

 Ne<TTo^ wof NeXeior ; Nestor the Nelein son. In process of time, 

 however, they were compelled, like other nations, to adopt the 

 usual mode of affixing surnames. Sometimes the place of birth 

 or of abode supplied the cognomen, or @oas AtroXoy, Thoas 

 the ^tolian, and sometimes a quality, profession or art, as 

 Mc^tovef Oe^sxXov, the artificer Phereklon, and innumerable 

 others. 



The Roman proper names are far inferior to the Greek in 

 variety and beauty, and especially in significance. Several 

 of their names, indeed, convey no meaning which can be dis- 



• • 111 ttife citation of these-names, I have used the Roman orthography, as being 

 more familiar to the general reader. 



