394 NATURAL HISTORY OF 



stocrf, the rest being Illyrian or Finnic, as we have already 

 noticed. The Pelasgian element, no doubt, furnished the basis 

 of all the arts and legends, which we find they possessed in 

 an eminent degree; and the huge stone-built ramparts of 

 many cities in Italy, as well as Epirus, Greece, Crete, and 

 Asia Minor, attest the work of kindred civilization. Among 

 these, Rome itself was a frontier fortress in the Campania, not 

 improbably known by a name equivalent to Valentia, before it 

 received the present denomination, which, it may be observed, 

 means the same thing in one of the dialects spoken among 

 the Latin tribes. Valentia was probably derived from the 

 same root as Valum and the Teutonic Walle. The Pelasgians 

 left also colonies at Norba, and among the Volsci, Hernici, 

 Marsi, and Sabini, tribes having all names and characteristics 

 of a Getic infusion in their dialects, and indications which 

 show, like the first named in particular, affinity with the Bclgic 

 Gauls, chiefly with the Volsci, Tectosages, and Arecomici. 

 The word Volsci, Velkre, Wilci, Teutonic Volke, is generical 

 for people; and the different tribes had each a particular desig- 

 nation. That of Italy was known by the appellation of Aurunci, 

 from Awe, the Vale, or open country; and the two others, as 

 above, had names equally resolvable into Teutonic meanings. 

 Nor is this singular, since Teutames is the oldest known hero 

 of the Pelasgian race who ruled on the coast of Caria; and 

 Hera, a goddess revered at Samos, may denote simply the 

 Lady, and be the same as Hertha, Ertha.or Orsiloche, in Tau- 

 ris. There are the names of Circe (Kirke), and Falaces, the 

 double divinity and pillar gods of a great number of nations ; 

 with many others, all derived from Getic, or Teutonic 

 dialects. The Romans, properly speaking, did not com- 

 pose a homogeneous race. They were, still more than the 

 Greek people, a compound of many tribes, it is true, more or 

 less remotely allied, but still concentrated on the Tiber from 

 distant quarters, the result of distinct colonies and successive 

 arriv. Is. Among these, the so-called Trojan basis of the 



