explain in what manner he was enabled to give, in the age of
Augustus, so decided a contradiction to the long established opinion
respecting the origin of the Hetruscans ; and, consequently, his observ-
ations on this point can be considered as nothing more than
conjectures that rest on no authority. The ancient writers, at the
same time, concur in stating that the Pelasgi once occupied part of
Italy ; but a doubt exists whether these Pelasgi were the same people
as the Tyrrheni, or not. Strabo describes them as having accompanied
the Lydians * ; but Pliny distinguishes them, for he states, " Adnec-
titur septimas in qua Hetruria est ab amne Macra, ipsa mutatis saepe
nominibus. Umbros inde exegere antiquitus Pelasgi ; hos Lydi, a
quorum rege Tyrrheni, mox a sacrifico ritu lingua Graecorum Thusci
sunt cognominati/' f

But, if I have succeeded in showing that the Pelasgi were a people
of Asia Minor, and that the Greek language was formerly spoken in
that country, this difference of opinion respecting the Pelasgi, and
whether or not they migrated directly from Greece, is immaterial ;
because their language would, in either case, have been precisely the
same. If, therefore, the Pelasgi possessed Hetruria at the time when
the Lydians arrived there, it would seem most probable that, being of
the same, or of a kindred race, they would, instead of having been
expelled from the country, have become incorporated with the new
colonists ; and that, in consequence of the superior power of the
latter, the Pelasgic name became superseded by that of the Tyrrheni
or Hetrusci. In which case the ancient language of Hetruria must



i suoi caratteri diiferivano a' tempi di Dionisio da quegli delle altre genti ; ma in etk
piu remote erano stati i caratteri della Grecia ; cos! aicune sue usanze difierivano a' tempi
di Dionisio dal resto de' popoli, ma in altr* etd erano state in moda nella Grecia, e ndl'
Asia. Pid che una nazione & superstiziosa, pi^ ^ tenace degli usi antichi; V Etrusca
che in superstizione le vinse tutte, dovea vincerle anche in quest' attaccamento : corf ella
differiva dalle altre non percb^ avesse origine da tutte diversa, come Dionisio vorrebbe; ma
perch^ ella riteneva alquanti costumi, gia smessi e obbliterati da tutte. 