tenhout, tenhoute, (p. 59.) Why then may not n'oute have been originally ni-oo-te, of the God or Gods, or the Gods the, as in many other cases with a double article, like te-phro-te above; and that this is the real fact seems to be confirmed by the following circumstance-Woidé informs us, that noute takes the article phi before it, but is generally found contracted into the two letters pht, and this even in Scripture. But it is remarkable, that whenever he quotes any passage of Scripture, in which the word noute is writ in letters at full length, it never has any article whatever prefixed to it, not even phi; and this is found true in all the quotations made in his Lexicon from Scripture, while there are only three or four where the above contraction pt is found, but not a single example of phi-noute at length, Does not this practice seem to prove, that noute has either at its beginning or end, or both, some article already adhering to it, which induced the natives not to add Phi, or any other, in writing the noun? For as to what they do in pronunciation does not appear, since Woidé's words only refer to the contraction into pht in writing; but we may form some presumption, that if phi was generally prefixed in pronunciation, it would have been also inserted in writing in some of the above nine cases. That in a language so abounding with articles, the name of God alone should have no article either prefixed or subjoined in writing, at least appears to be very extraordinary, and this even in the translation of the Scriptures in vulgar and daily use: this rather suggests, that no other article is ever in use in the vulgar pronunciation likewise of this word, except it be already either prefixed or subjoined in the word noute itself. It would be worth knowing, whether it be omitted in every other case, when not writ with the contractian pht, in the Coptic translation of Scripture, beside those nine quoted in Woidé's Lexicon; for if phi and pi be actually omitted in all or most other examples of the Coptic translation, we must rationally conclude, that some article is already contained in noute itself, either before or behind it, or both ways, which causes the omission of phi, or pi, in that word when writ at length in Scripture, although in vulgar use the natives may possibly now sometimes add a supernumerary article phi, through an improper habit in pronunciation, just as
in alcoran by ourselves. Hence it seems to follow, that the original radical noun denoting God in n'oo-te, may be nothing more than oo. The same oo for God may be the radical noun in oua, blasphemia, and ouab, sacer; in the former, a may have a negative sense,' and possibly ab in the latter may have a contrary meaning. But however this may be, the noun for God seems at least to be often annexed to the names of cities in Egypt, therefore may be equally so in No-Ammon.
OXFORD PRIZE POEM.
Herculaneum.
PER terram antiquâ Ditis caligine mersam
Tendere, et umbrarum sedes penetrare sepultas
Fert animus. Quisnam mihi dux Cyllenius altum
Pandat iter? quæve inferiæ comitentur euntem,
Exsanguesque pio flectant libamine Manes ?
Scilicet haud ambage expers specus; undique longå
Nocte silet. Simul ipsa sono vestigia terrent
Ingressos, tumulique situs deformis obumbrat.
Hic terræ ingestæ moles supereminet; illic
Indurata diu, atque ambustis cautibus horrens
Congeries, qualis ferro Vulcania sordes
Effluit ardenti, et calido carbone cohæret.
Fama refert, bis ter liquefacto hæc stramina saxo
Moutem, et sulphureis superinjecisse ruinis,
Atque novas totidem segetes ex ordine fractis
Tellurem glebis Italo donâsse colono.
Felix ille dies, qui primum illúxit avitis
Thesauris, retegens miracula condita rerum.
Fervet opus, jussu regum, (quippe id fore seclo
Grande putant decus, et volventibus addere nomen
Posse aliquod fastis ;) juvenum manus expedit antro
Ignavam molem silicum, et tellure reclusa
Altius usque viam, si quæ vestigia servent
Indicium, peragunt; cumulosque avertere putres
Effossis properant specubus, ceu viscera terræ
Argento fœta eruerent, aurive metallo.
Nec priùs absistunt, quàm se ferrum imprimat imis
Sedibus, in solido crepitans; ibi limite aperto
Copia tota loci datur, et spatia urbis habentur
Subter humum visenda. Ergò mirantur ubique,
1 Vid. Kotzebue's Travels in Italy.
Sive repercussâ tædarum luce coruscant
Stantia signa foro, et bellaces ære quadriga,
Sive nitent templi patefacto in limine Divûm
Effigies truncæ, penetraliaque obruta servant.
Pars tectorum aditus molitur, et atria cæca
Vi penetrat. Multa hic, varius quot postulat usus,
Quæque manus inter veterum consuêrat habendo
Vita hominum terere, et laribus proponere lautis ;
Poculaque, tripodesque, et mensam onerantia vasa.
Apparent passim, quales morientis amici
Hesternas vestes, monumentaque cara doloris
Certo quæque loco pietas intacta tuetur.
Mirantur, pictos ut prætereuntia muros
Lumina dant oculis. Nusquam tam vivida Soli
Panditur innumeris suffusa coloribus Iris.
Talia lotifero quæ præterlabitur ingens
Flumine, primævæ jactat sibi mœnia Nilus
Memphidos, aut magni monumenta relicta Canopi.
Cur steterint vivo jamdudum florida tinctu
Monia, nec faciem mutent semiusta perennem,
Causa latet; præsens artem frustrà aspicit ætas.
Illic cernere erat, quantus certamine duro
Semiferi victor Theseus redit; Attica pubes
Quem circum mirata premit. Dux inter ovantes
Incedit, mediusque toroso corpore supra est.
Funditur ante pedes taurinum sanguine vultum
Horridus, hirsutos extendens semifer artus.
3 Parte aliâ Alcides inter cunabula victor
Dat vitæ illustris, divinorumque laborum
Primitias. Quanto visos terrore refugit
Alcmene geminos angues? at regius infans
Corripit, impavidè mirans, et colla prehensu
Sibila collidit. Simul illi dente retorto
Incassum tendunt morsus infligere, donec
Multiplices tergorum orbes mors frigida laxat.
4 Illic, lætitia vultum perfusa decorum,
Suave rubet, Paridis dono Cytherea triumphans;
Hic Bacchi chorus exultans, Fauni, Satyrique,
Pampineisque fremunt impulsæ Thyades hastis.
Quò rapior demens? Num mostos carmina Manes
Hæc leviora decent? quos nec tellure paternâ
Composuere sui, et dixere novissima verba,
Nec fletu mulceri animas, nec ritibus ullis
Contigit; at fœdo tumulus premit aggere membra!
Quippe oculis passim occurrunt per strata domosque
Tristes relliquiæ, servantiaque ossa figuram
'Pitture Antiche d'Ercolano.
Impressam cineri, quales jam morte sub ipsâ
Diriguere homines. Aliis pretiosa supellex
Restat capta, fugæ labor et mora; mordicus hærent
Compressi exanimes digiti, prædamque retractant.
Jamque alius per tecta amens obsessa ligone
Vult aperire viam. Vani dat signa laboris
Vexatus paries, lapidique impressa cicatrix,
Et positum ante pedes scabrâ rubigine ferrum.
Tantane vos adeò gelidi vis cæca timoris,
Thessalio veluti correptos membra veneno
Perculit, atque fugæ conatibus obstitit ægris?
Aut malesanus amor, et cura extrema Penatum
Prodidit infaustâ nimium dulcedine captos,
Jam jamque hærentes devoto in limine ?- Verum
Non dubiis cladem monstris gravis ira Deorum
Præmonuit.
Quoties, seu fœta gementibus Austris,
Seu velut æquoreo tellus percussa tridenti,
Attonitas crebro motu tremefecerat arces ?
Nec Calabri intereà prærupto culmine montes
Cessavere sonum, neque saltibus Umbria densis
Horrendum ingeminare; atque increbrescere ponto
Subter agens tonitru, tremuit quo sedibus imis
Inarime, et Siculo concussæ in littore pinus.
Ipsæ sulphurei sacratum littus Aorni
Effugêre feræ, tanto tonat omne cavernis
Clivosum sonitu nemus, et penetrale Sibyllæ.
Illic et, dubiæ sub opaca silentia Lunæ,
Auditi longos Manes effundere fletus
Per noctem, et tardos ad fata vocare nepotes.
Nec labefacta tamen penitus fiducia cessit,
Donec fulmineas montano erumpere nubes
Vertice conspiciant, atrâ fuligine densas.
Mox, velut ingenti glomeratus turbine, in altum
Ire vapor gravidus rapido impete; desuper illic
Pendere, et superas sensim fluitare per auras
Diffusus, longum ducens per nubila tractum.
Cernere erat, qualis cùm cœlum Erymanthia trunco
Pinus adit gracili, et frondoso vertice nutat.
Sulphureus crebrescit odor; tum flamina venti
Composuere leves; vespertinum silet æther
Insolitum, et major monstri se attollit imago.
'Dio Cassius, as quoted in the Preface to Pitture Antiche d Ercolano. 2 Plin. Epist.
Continuo fremitusque maris, terræque tumultus
Exoritur, præsaga agitans formidine corda.
Nox ruit, horroremque auget feralibus umbris.
'Tum vero rutilâ incepit clarescere flammâ
Fumus, et immugire sono crescente Vesevus.
Haud secus ac rediviva cohors si ad bella Gigantum
Surgeret; altisonisque Deûm confligeret armis
Vulsus Athos, Rhodopeque, et jacta Ceraunia cœlo.
Hinc subitò vastâ nova lux fornace refulsit,
Eripuitque oculis visum, tanta emicat atro
Sulphure, et ardenti grando commista favilla,
Et contorta frequens solido de viscere rupes
Æthereum signat flammis iter; inde ruinam
Dat sonitu, et fractis superintonat ædibus ingens,
Aut pelago stridens extinguitur; imbre corusco
Miseni caput aerium, et Prochyta alta relucent,
Et spatia Oceani longinqua.
Terror agit cives; neque, dum discursibus actos
Præcipitat variis, patitur sperare salutem.
Pars, siqua astiterat convulso in littore cymba
Integra, corripiunt alacres, turbamque sequentem
Vi reprimunt. Ipsos quò post fortuna tulisset
Incertum ;-audiri per opacum visa querentûm
Vox moribunda hominum, pelago confusa sonanti.
Plurima jam sese portis effudit apertis
Turba amens glomerata; juvatque extrema videntes,
Communi fato, patuloque sub ætheris axe
Expirâsse animas. Felix, cui dulcia nondum
Pignora, nec trepidans conjux, seniove parentes
Effracti, aut miserâ deposcens voce relictus
Æger opem, dubiis extorquent pectora curis!
2 Sic passim dirà tenebrarum in nocte per agros
Certatim ruitur; nec fas confidere tædis,
Tam densi cineresque, et creber pumice nimbus
Excutiunt flammam.- Spissas modò dividere umbras,
Et faciem exustam monstrare incendia ruris ;
Nunc, rapta ex oculis subito ceu turbine, opaca
Omnia nocte iterum atque altâ caligine volvi.
Adverso multi confligunt pectore, cæcis
Carpere iter tenebris conati, et voce reposcunt
Palantes socios; multos malè prensa fefellit
Dextera, quos subitò turba obruit, aut vorat ingens
Faucibus, et ruptâ sorbet tellure caverna.
Tempore namque illo terram quoque, et ima viarum'
Kotzebue in his Travels describes this as the evening effect of Vesuvius.
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