504 Rev. Mr Williams on one Source of the 



and disgrace of the war with Porsena, have recruited its exhaust- 

 ed strength by the admission of Atta Clausus, with five thou- 

 sand Sabines, into the full right and privileges of Roman citi- 

 zens. It may therefore be safely inferred, that the great body of 

 the original population of Rome was of Sabine, that is, of Urn- 

 brian race and blood. 



The next step is to prove that this Umbrian race was cognate 

 in blood and language with our own Cumrians. In appealing 

 to ancient testimony, it will be at once felt that much cannot be 

 expected which will throw any light upon the subject ; yet, con- 

 trary to such an expectation, there do exist certain testimonies 

 of the clearest nature. The first is that of Cornelius Bocchus, 

 a learned friend and freedman of Sylla, who, according to Soli- 

 nus, " completely proved that the Umbri are an offset of the an- 

 cient Gauls." 1 To give its full weight to this testimony, we 

 ought to remember, that Sylla, the patron of Bocchus, had 

 every reason, both during the social war and in his wars against 

 the Marians and their allies, to institute the most serious inqui- 

 ries into the origin of the Sabellian tribes, and the circumstances 

 that had changed them from their long continued character of 

 faithful allies, into the most powerful and inveterate enemies of 

 Rome. The second testimony is that of Antonius Gnipho, a 

 high name among Roman grammarians, himself a native of Cis- 

 alpine Gaul, and one of the most accomplished scholars of his 

 day, to whose instruction even Julius C^sar owed much. " 

 Servius, Virgil's learned commentator, writes, " M. Anto- 

 nius states that undoubtedly the Umbrians were the offspring of 

 the ancient Gauls." Isidorus, 3 in his Origines, combines this 



1 Solin. Pol. Hist. cap. 8. 



Absolvit Umbros Gallorum veterum propaginem esse. 



2 Virg. Serv. p. 724, near the end of the twelfth book. 



Sane Umbros veterum Gallorum propaginem esse refert. 



3 Origines, lib. 9, cap. 2. 



