not much obliged to scholars for this interruption of the vernacular current of pronunciation: but as there is so plausible a plea as that of reducing words to their original languages, and as a knowledge of these languages will always be an honourable distinction among men, it is strongly to be suspected that these words will not long continue in their plain homespun English dress. This critical correction, however, seems to have come too late for some words, which, as Pope expresses it, have slid into verse," and taken possession of our ears; and therefore, perhaps, the best way of disposing of them will be to consider them as the ancients did the quantity of certain doubtful syllables, and to pronounce them either way. Some, however, seemi always to have preserved the accent of their original language, as Thalia and Sophia; but Iphigenia, Antiochia, Seleucia, and Samaria, have generally yielded to the English antepenultimate accent; and Erythia, Deidamia, Laodamia, Hippodamia, Apamia, Ilithyia, and Orithyia, from their seldom appearing in mere English composition, have not often been drawn aside into plain English pronunciation. The same may be observed of words ending in nicus or nice : if they are compounded of the Greek vƖŋ, the penultimate syllable is always long, and must have the accent, as Stratonicus, Berenice, &c.; if this termination be what is called a gentile, signifying a man by his country, the penultimate is short, and the accent is on the antepenultimate; as Macedonicus, Sardonicus, Britannicus, &c. ANDRONICUS. See 66 66 66 66 66 66 66 in the more respectable part of society. Perhaps no people on earth are so correct in their accentuation of proper names as the learned among the English. The Port Royal Grammar informs us, that notwithstanding all the rules that can be given, we are often under the necessity of submitting to custom, and of accommodating our pronunciation to what is received among the learned, according to the country we are in." So we pronounce," says the grammarian, "Aristo' bulus,1 Basi'lius, Ido' lium, with the accent on the antepenultimate, though the penultimate is long, because it is the custom: and, on the contrary, we pronounce Andre'as, ide'a, Maria, &c. with the accent on the penultimate, though it is short, because it is "the custom of the most learned. The Italians," continues he, "place the accent on the penultimate of antonomasi'a, harmoni'a, philosophi'a, theologi'a, and similar words, according to the Greek accent, because, as Ricciolius observes, it is the custom of their country. Alvarez and Gretser think we ought always to pronounce them in this manner, though the custom, not only of Germany and Spain, but of all France, is against it: but Nebrissensis authorizes this last pronunciation, and says, that it is better to place the accent of these vowels on the antepenultimate sylla ble; which shews,", concludes the grammarian, that when we once depart from the ancient rules, we have but little certainty in practice, which is so different in different countries." 66 But however uncertain and desultory the accentuation of many words may be, it is a great satisfaction to a speaker to know that they are so. There is a wide difference between pronouncing words of this kind ignorantly and knowingly. A person who knows that scholars themselves differ in the pronunciation of these words can always pronounce with security: but one, who is unacquainted with the state of the accent, is not sure that he is right when he really is so, and always 31. Thus we see many of these proper names are of dubious accentuation; and the authorities which may be produced on both sides sufficiently shew us the inutility of criticising beyond a certain point. It is in these as in many English words: there are some which, if mispronounced, immediately shew a want of education; and there are others which, though not pronounced in the most erudite manner, stamp no imputation of ignorance or illiteracy. To have a gene-pronounces at his peril. ral knowledge, therefore, of the pronunciation of these words, seems absolutely necessary for those who would appear respectable 1 Our Author properly accents Aristobulus; but the error of the grammarian does not affect the argument.Edit. It is hoped the candid peruser of this work will make allowances for an occasional error in dividing a syllable or placing an accent, when he reflects on the difficulty with which such a work must necessarily be attended. The Author flatters himself, however, that such attention has been paid both to the compilation and the proofs, that the fewest errors imaginable have escaped him. The Figures annexed to the words refer to the Rules prefixed to the Work. Thus the figure_(3) after Achei refers to Rule the 3d, for the pronunciation of the final i; and the figure (4) after Abii refers to Rule the 4th, for the pronunciation of the unaccented i, not final; and so of the rest. +I+ When the Letters Eng. are put after a word, it is to shew that this word is the preceding word Anglicised. Thus Lu'can, Eng., is the Latin word Lucanus, changed into the English Lucan. A-BAN TI-AS, (10) Ab-an-ti'a-des, (1) a patronymic of the descendants of Abas, king of Argos. A-BANTI-DAS, (4) a usurping king of Sicyon. A-BAN TIS, an ancient name of Euboea. AB-AR-BA RE-A, (7) one of the Naiades. AB'A-RI, (3) a people of Scythia. A-BAR'I-MON, (4) a valley of Scythia. ABA-RIS, (7) a Scythian, son of Scuthis, to whom Apollo gave a winged arrow endowed with prophetic and miraculous powers. A-BA'RUS, (1) an Arabian prince, also called Mezeres and Ariamnes. A'BAS, (1) the eleventh king of Argos father of Prætus and Acrisius. Others of the same name. ABR AB-DE'RA, (1) (7) a maritime city of Thrace, built by Hercules in honour of Abderus. AB-DERI-A, (1) (4) (7) a town of Spain. AB-DE-RITES, (1) a people of Pæonia. AB-DE RUS, (1) the armour-bearer of Hercules, killed by the horses of Diamede. A-BE A-TE, (7)(1)(5) a people of Achaia. Avella. A'BI-A, (1) (4) (7) a daughter of Hercules; also a town of Messina called by her name. A'BI-I, (4) a nation bordering on Scythia. ABI-LA, (4) (7) a mountain of Africa, opposite Calpe, on the coast of Spain. These two mountains are called the Pillars of Hercules. A-BIS A-RES, (7) an Indian prince. A-BIS A-RIS, (7) a country in India. AB-I-SON'TES, (4) some Alpine mountaineers. AB-LETES, (1) a people near Troy. AB NO-BA, mountains in Germany; now the Black Mountains. A-BOB RI-CA, (4) a town of Lusitania: another in Spain. A-BO BUS, a mountain in Germany. Alba. A-BOʻLUS, (7) (1) a river of Sicily. of Italy. AB-O-RA'CA, (1) (7) a town of Sarmatia. Susa. His history, with that of his wife Panthea, is well told by Xenophon. A-BREN'TIUS, (10) a governor of Tarentum, AB-ROD-I-E TUS, (4) a name descriptive of a gourmand, given to Parrhasius. A'BRON. There were several of the name. Themistocles. AB RO-TA, (7) the wife of Nisus, son Egeus; eminent for her chastity. of A-BROTO-NUM, the mother of Themistocles. Also, a town in Africa. AB'RUS, a city of the Sapai. gustus. AccI-LA, (7) a town of Sicily. Ac'ci-us, (10) (L.) an old Roman tragic poet. A-BRYP'O-LIS, (6) an ally of Rome; spoiled Ac'cu-A, (7) a town in Italy. by Perseus, king of Macedon. AB-SE US, one of the giants. AB-SIN' THI-I, (4) a people of Pontus. A'CE, (7) a place in Arcadia, where there AB-SYR'TI-DES, islands in the Adriatic; now Ac'E-LUM, (24) a town near Venice. Cherso and Osero; in one of which Absyrtus was murdered. A AB-SYR TOS, (6) a river falling into the sister Medea. AB-U-LITES, (1) a governor of Susa, which he betrayed to Alexander. A BUS, a mountain of Armenia, with a river of the same name: now Ararat. Also a river of Be tain; now the Humber. AB-Y-DE'NI, (6) the people of Abydos. AC-E-RA'TUS, (27) a soothsayer of Delphi. ried Dido. AC-E-RI'NA, (1) a colony of the Brutii in Greece. A-CER RE, (4) a town of Italy; now Gherra. AC-ER-SEC'O-MES, a surname of Apollo. A-CE'SI-A, (10) part of the island of Lemnos. AB-Y-DE'NUS, (6) a favourite disciple of Ac-E-SI'NUS, (1) a river of Sarmatia. Aristotle. A-BY'DI, (6) the same as Abydeni. A-CE'SI-US, (10) a name of Apollo as god of medicine. A-BY DOS, (6) a city of Asia, opposite to Ses-A-CES'TA, (7) a town of Sicily, built by Æneas AC-A-LAN'DRUS, a river falling into the bay of Tarentum: now the Salandrella. A-CALLE, (8) a daughter of Minos and A-CA-MAR CHIS, (7) one of the Oceanides. A-CAMP'SIS, (7) a river of Colchis. A-CHEME-NES, the first king of Peria. and god of the river of the same name. The river is ACH-E-RU SI-A, (11) a lake near Memphis. A-CHILLAS, a general of Ptolemy, who murdered Pompey the Great. ACH-IL-LE'A, (7) an island near the mouth of the Ister, where was the tomb of Achilles. ACH-IL-LEI-EN'SES, a people of Macedonia. ACH-IL-LE IS, an unfinished poem of Statius. A-CHILLES, the hero of the Iliad. ACH-IL-LEUM, a town of Troas. A-CHIL LEUS, a rebel general, under Dio clesian. A-CHIVI, (4) the Greeks; so called by the poets. ACH-LA-DEUS, a Corinthian general. AC-RO-A'THON, a town at the top of Mount Athos. AC-RO-CE-RAU NI-UM, a rocky promontory of Epirus. AC-RO-CO-RIN THUS, the citadel of Corinth. AC-ROTHO-OS, the same with Acroathon. AC-TEON, (4) a famous huntsman turned into a stag by Diana, and torn in pieces by his own dogs. AC-TE US, (4) an early king of Attica. Ac'TE, (8) an ancient name of Attica. Also, a mistress of Nero. ACTI-A, (10) the mother of Augustus. ACH-O-LA'I, (3) or ACн-OA'LI, a people of Ac'TIS, an astrologer; the son of Sol. Arabia. ACH-O-LOE, one of the Harpies. ACH-RA- DINA, or AC-RA-DI ́NA, (7) the citadel of Syracuse. AC-I-CHO'RI-Us, a Gallic general. A-CILI-A, a plebeian family at Rome. A-CIL'I-US, a Roman cognomen. A-CIL'LA, (7) a town of Africa. AC-TIS A-NES, a king of Ethiopia. ACTI-UM, (10) a town and promontory of Epirus, where the famous battle was fought between Augustus and Antony. ACTI-US, (10) a surname of Apollo. ACTOR, the father of Mencetius, and grandfather of Patroclus. There were others of the same name. AC-TOR I-DES, a patronymic, from the preceding. ACTO-RIS, a maid of Ulysses. A'cis, a Sicilian shepherd beloved by Ga- ACU'LE-0, (C.) a celebrated Roman lawyer: latea. uncle to Cicero. AD'A-NA, a city of Cilicia. AD-DE-PHA GI-A, a Sicilian deity. AD'DU-A, (7) a river of Gaul; now Adda. historian. A-DE MON, a Moor who raised a sedition against Caligula. A'DES, or HA DES, the Greek name of Pluto. Also, of the infernal regions. Gaul. AD-GAN-DES TRI-US, a perfidious prince of AD-HERBAL, an African prince, cruelly mur› dered by Jugurtha. E-GEUM, the Egean Sea; now Archipe- E-GAUS, a surname of Neptune. A-DRAS TUS, a king of Argos, and one of the E-GA'LE-UM, the same. seven chiefs in the Theban war. A'DRI-A, (23) the Adriatic sea. EGAN, the Egean Sea. E'GAS, (5) a place in Euboea. A-DRI-A NUM, or A-DRI-AT'I-CUM, epithets of E-GATES, three islands opposite Carthage, the above. A-DRI-AN-OP'O-LIS, a town of Thrace. Emperor of Rome. AD-RI-ME'TUM, a town of Africa; now Ma E-A. (7) There was a town in Thessaly, called Ara by Virgil. E-GE'RI-A, See Egeria. E-GESTA, a town of Sicily; now Barbara. E-GIA-LE, one of the Heliades. daughter of Adrastus. E-GI-A LE-US, (22) a son of Adrastus; one of the Epigoni. Sea. E-GIA-LUS, son of Phoroneus. and a fountain in Macedonia, of this name. This diphthong is merely ocular, for the a has-GI-A ́LI-A, (22) (4) an island in the Cretan no share in the sound, though it appears in the type. Indeed, as we pronounce the a, there is no middle sound between that letter and e, and therefore we have adopted the last vowel, and relinquished the first. This, among other reasons, makes it probable that the Greeks and Romans pronounced the a as we do in water, and the e as we hear it in where and there; the middle or mixt sound then would be like a in father, which was probably the sound they gave to this diphthong. [In resolving the diphthong a, the old Latin Poets employed at, as if from the Greek as. Thus aulaï for aula, and the like. Hence it appears, that both the vowels in the diphthong were sounded, but the latter more faintly than the former. In English, of course, we can do no better than retain the vernacular sound of double e.-Edit.] E-A-CE'A, games at Ægina, in honour of Eacus. E-AC I-DAS, a king of Epirus. E-ACI-DES, a patronymic of the descendants of Eacus; as Peleus, Achilles, &c. A-CUS, a king of Enopia, of such strict integrity, that he is fabled to have been made one of the judges of hell. E', a town of Colchis. 压, -GIL'I-A, an island near Crete. creon. EG-I-MOʻRUS, a small island in the gulf of -GINA, the mother of Eacus; an island in the Ægean bore her name. EG-I-NETA, a physician, born at Ægina. E-E'A, a name of Circe, who was born at Latin, is in English pronunciation either long or short, This diphthong, though long in Greek and according to the accent or position of it. Thus, if it immediately precedes the accent, as in Egeus, or with the accent on it, before a single consonant, in a word of two syllables, it is long, as in Egis; before two consonants it is short, as in Egles; or before one only, if the accent be on the antepenultimate, as Eropus. For the excep tions to this rule, see Rule 22. [And Note. Edit.] E-GIS'THUS, a king of Argos, who married E-GITUM, a town of Æolia. EG'LE, the youngest daughter of Esculapius. Also, one of the Hesperides, and one of the Graces. 'GLES, a Sarmatian wrestler. EG-LETES, a surname of Apollo. ÆG'LO-GE, a nurse of Nero. E-GOB'O-LUS, a name of Bacchus. E-GOC'E-ROS, the Greek name of the constellation Capricorn. EGON, a promontory of Lemnos. 'GOS-POT'A-MOS, a river in the Thracian Chersonese. ÆG-O-SA'GÆ, a people of Asia. E-GOS THE-NA, a town of Megara. 'GUS, one of the Allobroges who deserted from Cæsar to Pompey. EGY, (6) a town near Sparta. |