DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.785#0044
xliv
RELICS OP THE ETRUSCAN TONGUE. [introduction.
but beyond this, and the proper names and the numerals
on sepulchral monuments, and a few words recorded by the
ancients/ the wisest must admit their ignorance, and confess that
all they know of the Etruscan tongue, is that it is unique—like
the Basque, an utter alien to every known family of languages.
To the other early tongues of Italy, which made use of the same
or nearly the same character, we find some key in the Latin,
especially to the Oscan, which bears to it a parental relation.
But the Etruscan has been tested again and again by Greek,
Latin, Hebrew, and every other ancient language, and beyond
occasional affinities which may be mere coincidences, such as
occur in almost every case, no clue has yet been found to its
interpretation,—and unless some monument like the Rosetta-
stone should come to light, and some Young or Champollion
should arise to decipher it, the Etruscan must ever remain a
6 All we know of the language from
the ancients is confined to the following
words, many of which are manifestly dis-
guised by the foreign medium through
which they have come down to us :—
Etruscan.
Latin.
jEsar
Deus
Agalletor
Puer
Andas
Boreas
Anhelos
Aurora
Antar
Aquila
Aracos
Accipiter
Arimos
Simia
Arse Verse
Averte ignem
Ataison
Vitis
Burros
Poculum
Balteua,j
Capra
„ . 1-as
in Latin
Cassis
Celer J
Capys
Falco
Dammis
Equus
Drouna
Principium
Falando
Ccelum
Gapos
Currus
Hister
Ludio
Struscan.
Latin.
Iduare
Dividere
Idulus
Ovis
Itus
Idus
Lsena
Vestimentum
(doubtful)
Lanista
Carnifex
Lar
Dominus
Lucumo
Princeps
Mantisa
Additamentum
Nanos
Vagabundus
Nepos
Luxuriosus
(doubtful)
Rasena
Etrusci
Subulo
Tibicen
Besides these, the names of certain
Etruscan deities are known, either
from ancient writers or from monu-
ments. The formula " Ril avil" is
ascertained to signify vixit anmos, and
the general, if not precise, meaning of
two or three other sepulchral formulae
can be guessed at. If to this we add
that " Clan " seems to mean films, and
" Sec " filia, we have the full extent of
our knowledge of the Etruscan voca-
bulary.
RELICS OP THE ETRUSCAN TONGUE. [introduction.
but beyond this, and the proper names and the numerals
on sepulchral monuments, and a few words recorded by the
ancients/ the wisest must admit their ignorance, and confess that
all they know of the Etruscan tongue, is that it is unique—like
the Basque, an utter alien to every known family of languages.
To the other early tongues of Italy, which made use of the same
or nearly the same character, we find some key in the Latin,
especially to the Oscan, which bears to it a parental relation.
But the Etruscan has been tested again and again by Greek,
Latin, Hebrew, and every other ancient language, and beyond
occasional affinities which may be mere coincidences, such as
occur in almost every case, no clue has yet been found to its
interpretation,—and unless some monument like the Rosetta-
stone should come to light, and some Young or Champollion
should arise to decipher it, the Etruscan must ever remain a
6 All we know of the language from
the ancients is confined to the following
words, many of which are manifestly dis-
guised by the foreign medium through
which they have come down to us :—
Etruscan.
Latin.
jEsar
Deus
Agalletor
Puer
Andas
Boreas
Anhelos
Aurora
Antar
Aquila
Aracos
Accipiter
Arimos
Simia
Arse Verse
Averte ignem
Ataison
Vitis
Burros
Poculum
Balteua,j
Capra
„ . 1-as
in Latin
Cassis
Celer J
Capys
Falco
Dammis
Equus
Drouna
Principium
Falando
Ccelum
Gapos
Currus
Hister
Ludio
Struscan.
Latin.
Iduare
Dividere
Idulus
Ovis
Itus
Idus
Lsena
Vestimentum
(doubtful)
Lanista
Carnifex
Lar
Dominus
Lucumo
Princeps
Mantisa
Additamentum
Nanos
Vagabundus
Nepos
Luxuriosus
(doubtful)
Rasena
Etrusci
Subulo
Tibicen
Besides these, the names of certain
Etruscan deities are known, either
from ancient writers or from monu-
ments. The formula " Ril avil" is
ascertained to signify vixit anmos, and
the general, if not precise, meaning of
two or three other sepulchral formulae
can be guessed at. If to this we add
that " Clan " seems to mean films, and
" Sec " filia, we have the full extent of
our knowledge of the Etruscan voca-
bulary.