Non-Hellenic Portion of the Latin Language. 527 



1 Cunarus. 

 In entering upon the question of the names of places, it should 

 be remembered that many of the ancient names of towns, cities, 

 and fortresses, are merely the names of the people or tribes who 

 originally possessed them ; and that, first, the district, secondly, 

 the city, is nothing more than the appellation of the nation. In 

 the following remarks, I shall, however, as much as possible, 

 avoid words of this class, and confine the examination to such as 

 seem to have a local meaning, borrowed from some accident, 

 whether the work of man or of nature. Again, I have to re- 

 quest a fair hearing, and to beseech the classical scholar especial- 

 ly, for a short time to commit himself on subjects unknown to 

 him to my guidance, and to assure him, that I will not knowingly 

 abuse his confidence in the slightest degree. But as he, in read- 

 ing a list of the names of Italian cities, would, without scruple, 

 infer, without historical evidence, that by the Greeks were given 

 the following names : 



Neapolis. Heraclea. 



Dicaeopolis. Poseidonium. 



Metapontum. Rhegium, &c. &c. 

 And by the Latins after the formation of their language, the fol- 

 lowing : 



Concordia. Vicentia. 



Consentia. Foro-Juliensis. 



Valentia. Faventia, &c. &c. 



1 Cunarus. This name is supposed to have been attached to the highest peak 

 of the Apennines, the modern Monte Corno, or il Gran Sasso dTtalia. And the 

 etymology strongly confirms the conclusions of comparative geographers, for Cun- 

 Ar means the chief hill. (See Owen's Dictionary, under the words.) Cun, " a leader 

 or chief." Ar-an, " a high place, alp. It is the name of several of the highest 

 mountains in Britain.'" Ar itself is not used as a noun, but as the preposition 

 " above, upon," is in constant use. 



It would be easy to extend this examination with the same success to Garganus, 

 Gurgures, Gurgunium, Massicus, and many others. But, as I only wish to give a 

 specimen, the above may suffice. 



