502 Rev. Mr Wiuu1as on one Source of the 
It is not equally vain to ask, who were the destroyers of a 
power which could build such cities, of a civilisation so advanced. 
as this. History, indeed, is silent, but the occupation of the 
country by the Lucanians and Apulians leaves us no room to doubt 
as to the agents in the work of destruction. The original Apulia, 
according to STRABO, was a small tract of country immediately to 
the south of the Frentani, whence they must have spread over 
the larger province which, in consequence of the conquest, was 
called after their name. 
The reaction of the native population against the foreign co- 
lonists, which proved thus fatal in the south, was carried on with 
equal energy in central Italy by the Samnites, who assailed with 
equal fury and success both the Greek colonies and Tuscan in- 
vaders of Campania. The Samnites, like the Lucanians, were Sa- 
bellians by blood, of Sabine race, and cognate with the Marsi, 
Marrucini, Peligni, Hernici, Vestini, Hirpini, and Frentani. If, 
therefore, we can trace the origin of the Sabines themselves, we 
at once discover the origin of all the tribes that sprung from them. 
In the words of Nizugvunr,' “ the Italian national migrations came 
down like others from the north ; and Caro’s opinion that the ori- 
gin of all the Sabellians was derived from the neighbourhood of 
Amiternum, admits of no other rational meaning than that the 
most ancient traditions, whether they may have been Sabine or 
Umbrian, assigned that district as the habitation of the people 
who conquered Reate.” The same author * says,  Srrazo calls the 
Sabines autochthons. This name, applied to a people whose 
spreading so clearly falls within the historical period, can only 
mean that they cannot be taken for any colony from any nation 
out of Italy.” The question is thus very considerably narrowed, 
and we have only to ascertain whether they are the offshoot of 
any other people in Italy or not. To this a satisfactory answer 
' In the chapter on the Sabelli and Sabini, vol. i. 
* Same chapter. 
