III. On the Ancient Hellenes. By David Doig, LL. D. 

 F. S. S. A. and Majler of the Grammar School at Stirling. 



[Read Nov. 15. 1790, and April 1%. 1791.] 



IN fome other difTertations, I have endeavoured to inveftigate 

 the original country of the Iones, Dores, JEoles and Achcei 

 or Achivij 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 diftinction which they deemed the mod 

 honourable ; and 'EXA^s and BugGagoi, 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 Grteci, which, it is 

 pretended, they derived from TpM&, Graius, a very ancient 

 King of ThefTaly. 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 never 



f 2 occurs 



