Ill. On the ANcteNT HEtiLENEs. By Davip Dotc, LL.D. 
F.§.S.A. and Mafter of the Grammar School at Stirling. 
[Read Nov. 15. 1790, and April 18. 1791.] 
N fome other differtations, I have endeavoured to inveftigate 
the original country of the Jones, Dores, Holes and Achai 
or Achivi; and have, I hope, fhewed, that none of thefe tribes 
were aborigines of Greece. In this paper, I fhall trace the 
origin of the Hellenes, a people who, in procefs of time, be- 
came fo confiderable, that all the other fepts and petty clan- 
fhips of that nation were proud of being called by that venera- 
ble name. It was the diftinétion which they deemed the moft 
honourable; and “Eaaqves and Bagéueos, at one time, compre- 
hended the whole human race. 
THE more ancient Greeks, however, as well as the people of 
the eaft, knew nothing of this appellation. The Italians were 
equally ftrangers to it. The ancient name by which the Greeks 
diftinguifhed themfelves, and by which they were known 
to the weftern nations, was that of Graii or Greci, which, it is 
pretended, they derived from TpesG@, GRatus, a very ancient 
King of Theflaly. This very ancient perfonage was probably 
an imaginary chief, who owed his creation to the fertile fancy 
of the Grecian genealogifts. The Greeks themfelves muft have 
abandoned this denomination at an early period, fince it néver 
r2 occurs 
