136 THE GREEK ASTRONOMY. 



The words by which this period of time is desig- 

 nated in various languages, seem to refer us to the 

 early history of language. Our word month is con- 

 nected with the word moon, and a similar con- 

 nexion is noticeable in the other branches of the 

 Teutonic. The Greek word u.v\v in like manner is 

 related to wvy, which, though not the common 

 word for the moon, is found in Homer with that 

 signification. The Latin word mensis is probably 

 connected with the same group 17 . 



The month is not any exact number of days, 

 being more than 29 and less than 30. The latter 

 number was first tried, for men more readily select 

 numbers possessing some distinction of regularity. 

 It existed for a long period in many countries. A 

 very few months of 30 days, however, would suffice 

 to derange the agreement between the days of the 

 months and the moon's appearance. A little fur- 

 ther trial would show that months of 29 and 30 

 days alternately, would preserve, for a consider- 

 able period, this agreement. 



17 Cicero derives this word from the verb to measure ; " quia 

 mensa spatia conficiunt menses nominantur :" and other etymolo- 

 gists, with similar views, connect the above-mentioned words 

 with the Hebrew manah, to measure, (with which the Arabic 

 work almanack is connected.) Such a derivation would have 

 some analogy with that of annus, &c., noticed above : but if we 

 are to attempt to ascend to the earliest condition of language, 

 we must conceive it probable that men would have a name for 

 a most conspicuous visible object, the moon, before they would 

 have a verb denoting the very abstract and general notion, to 

 measure. 



