The Irish republic. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1867-18??, 1868-03-14
ANCIENT IRISH LITERATURE.
Celtic Studies.
NO. II.
BY T. IRWIN, DUBLIN, IRELAND.
NO. IL.


alluded to the immense antiquity of the settlement of the
Celtic in Europe and pointed the influence exercised
oy their language that of ancient Rome illustrated by
the origin of few of the most familiar in the history
OF the Latlns shall extend this speculation IN Its
reference to the Erians 1t is hardly necessary to say
that this people occupied the region of Italy known
Tuscany that probability has yet been arrived at as
to what people they originally belonged, whence they
came "The Etrurian people," says Michel, "s the great
mystery of history" The old idea that they from
LYDIA in Asia Minor has been given up for sometime there
being authority for the fact that they entered Italy by
the Phetean Alps. From the difficulty of allying their
language the Greek any other modern authorities have
come to the conclusion that they mixed There
many Euscan inscriptions extant but yet the classic
lists to whom their Interpretation has been consigned have
been merely enabled to eucdae them in the mstest and
most nconcusve They occupied the district known
as Csapne Gaul whose early population Celtic yet
has thought of establishing the theory that they
Celts in whose language there many dialects Of
various dates examples of which may be found in the
Basque compared to the Breton and Irish.
Lyy after auding to the twenty Etruscan cities ten of
them the Mediterranean side of the peninsula and ten
formed by their colonies the Adriatic says "There is
doubt that the Alpine natives especially the Ret have
the origin with the Etscans but they have lost their
civilization from climate and locality retain nothing
but their spoken language and that not without corruption
B. 49, He also mentions the bands of feudal reaners
grestes Euscoru cohores, which the mobiles collected
when engaging in Wharf.-The historic method of the Celtic
chiehains. Donaldson, in his Varronianees-a work in
which he eucdaes the ancient of aysuppoes the
Eruscans have the Phetean Alps but en-
deavors trace their language Gothic instead of Celtic
roots; and in pursuing this course which had either its
origin in ignorance perverted ingenuity, has, say
arrived very absurd results In Short in thus appearing
the exponent of Etruran Inscriptions he resembles the
party in the critic of whom bangle says Gad the inter-
prefer the difficult to be understood of the wo
We will offer few Celtic illustrations of this mysterious
Euscan language which has been such puzzle scholars
and classic commentators generally.
The Latin writer's tell that Rome derived her early
kings from Eruria, and also her religious system The
Erurans confessedy of the Pelasgan races
those of the migratory epoch the word Peasg wandering
tese The by which they known themselves
Rasena and this is pure Celtic Ra which is the sign
of the past tense meaning, going wandering, and se
cestoshey called themselves the people sprung from mi
graory ancestors glance the of their kings will
show the Celtic in each of them. Thus the great and
good legislator Numa, is from mua strong and a good
Tullus Hostibut from lach chief and os over plenty
abundance; Anchus Martius from anchaat aareach the
Chief numerous knights horsemen, and we know
that the early dignity distinction of the Roman knight
was the horse and the ring; Servus Tuus FROM as before
tuac chief and sera of the land of sickle, corn land
The name Tarqun here two of these, Precus and
Superbus from tar which beyond and active and
c tribe family may either be interpreted the chief of
the active tribes of the tribes beyond the river-he Tber
which formed the boundary of the Erurian and Roman
territory The of Tarpea daughter of Tarpeus the
governor of the citadel of Rome is significant aso-tafa
ruling the land. So much for the kings. Let now
glance at the of the Etruscan gods.
The Etrurians called Jupiter Tina. In Celtic TIM has
several meanings such the beginning fire. the sum- and to
the present day of the Irish of God II NOR the
great fire. origin of all things title derived from the
primitive days of solar worship Juno called Kepra,
evidently from ca conception the goddess who presided
Juno did, marriages Pluto, represented in classic
authors and Eurian pictures aged man, called by
the Etrurians, Mants, which DID, Luna is spelled
Lusna, not unlike the Irish Eusga, the Lucams