On the Ancient HELLENES. 149 



cd idea of the fuperior dignity and accomplifhments of the Hel- 

 lenes could, I think, have induced the circumjacent nations to 

 abandon their refpective Gentile denominations, and adopt that 

 of an inconsiderable tribe of foreigners, but lately effcablifhed 

 among them. This opinion they muft have excited by the 

 means enumerated in the preceding pages. 



The ancient Egyptians, like the modern Chinefe, were the 

 moft vain-glorious nation upon earth. Accordingly, Herodo- 

 tus allures us, that they ftigmatifed all nations with the title of 

 barbarians. ISugCocgovg hi Tavrug li AtyvTrrioi KaXscvci tng ^tj cr^KTi 

 opoyXatrtrovg *. The Helladians or Hellenes brought this epithet 

 with them into Greece, and, we believe, applied it literally to 

 all thofe clanfhips around them which had not entered into al- 

 liance with them, or had ^ot affiimed their name. This epi- 

 thet was at firft confined to fuch of the nations of Greece as 

 were not connected with the body of the Hellenes. In procefs 

 of time, however, it became fo widely extended as to produce 

 the general divifion of mankind into 'ExXrjng zai Bu^ctgoi, 

 " Greeks and Barbarians." The influence of this distinction 

 foon became irrefiftible among a conceited, vain glorious peo- 

 ple. We learn from Herodotus, that the Athenians, who, 

 according to him, were a Pelafgic tribe, changed both their 

 name and language in order to become Hellenes. To Attikov 

 zOv©* tov UsXouryizov, upu, rv\ pirqQoXq rq zg 'HXXrivag, xott t'/jv yXutrtrav 



fASTZ^O(,0S f . 



But nothing contributed fo much to extend the name and 

 influence of tile Hellenes, as the institution of the council of 

 the Amphictyones. The institution of this patriotic and truly 

 beneficial diet is generally afcribed to the wifdom and policy of 

 one Amphictyon, a defcendent of Hellen, and a King of the 

 Athenians {, That Amphictyon, if any fuch perfon ever ex- 

 isted, 



* Lib. ii. caji.ijS. in fine. -f- Lib. i. 57. 



X M. Gebelin, in his Difc. Prelim, fur les Orig. Grecs, has given a very ex- 

 a& account of the inftitution of this council. According to him, Amphictyon is- 



an 



