146 On the Ancient HELLENES. 
whence the adjective ‘EAdwma, with the word ywea underftood, 
intimating the Hellopian diftridt. Again, Hedlas, originally 
Hellad, as is obvious from the genitive Hedlados, is compound- 
ed of Hel, light, fplendour, &c. and Ad, an original name of 
the fan *. Hellas is then much the fame with Heliopolis, the 
city of the fun. I have obferved above, that Tmarus or Toma- 
“rus, the mountain overhanging the temple, might fignify a palm- 
tree; but it may, with more probability, be compounded of 
the words Tam, integer, perfectus, and Or or Ur, beat or light. 
As it was an univerfal practice among the heathens to confe- 
crate particular mountains to particular deities, and as the one 
in queftion lay contiguous to the temple of the fun, there can 
be no doubt of its being confecrated to that deity. The name 
Dodona itfelf I take to be a vox hybrida, compounded of the 
Greek word Aw, domus, and the Phoenician Adon, dominus; fo 
that Dodona is the fame with Do-Adon, the houfe of the Lorn. 
The prieftefles of the temple were called zerzscs +. The Chal- 
dean word Peleh fignifies /ervivit, coluit, and is upon fome oc- 
cafions actually employed to intimate the minifters of the houfe 
of Gon}. Hesycutius informs us, that the word wedge in the 
Theflalian tongue fignified a dove. This bird every body 
knows was facred to VENus among the Greeks and Romans, 
and to the Moon among the Syrians. Hence the prieftefles 
were called weAcies, becaufe they miniftered to Dione in the 
temple of Dodona; and the pigeon had the fame denomina- 
tion, becaufe it was facred to the fame deity. The Lacedemo- 
nians called the temple of JuprTER in Dodona ‘Eade §, a term 
evidently derived from He/; and this was perhaps its original 
denomination. All thefe names are clearly of Phoenician ex- 
traction, nor are the etymologies obfcure and equivocal. Eve- 
ry 
* Macrob. Sat. lib.i. cap. 23. + HEsycu. in voce. 
t See Ezra vii. 24. et alibi. 
§ Hesycu. in vace Enna, nabedga, xi Auoz Tepov ev Aodwm. Acuxcavese 
