A complete dictionary of the Greek and Roman antiquities explaining the obscure places in classic authors and ancient historians relating to the religion, mythology, history, geography and chronology of the ancient Greeks and Romans, their ... rites and customs, laws, polity, arts and engines of war : also an account of their navigations, arts and sciences and the inventors of them : with the lives and opinions of their philosophers / compiled originally in French ... by Monsieur Danet ; made English, with the addition of very useful mapps.

Of Consonants.

They reckon Eighteen Consonants in all who require a Vowel to be joined to them in order to the Forming of an Articulate Sound and com∣posing a Syllable; they are divided into Liquids and Mutes, into hissing and aspirated Con∣sonants.

There are Four Liquid or Fluent Letters, that is, such as pass quickly and easily, viz. L, R, M, N. L and R have so great an Affinity be∣tween them, that those, who would pronounce the R, cannot do it, because 'tis very harsh, and falls naturally into the L: From whence pro∣ceeds the mutual Change that has been between these Two Letters, for 'twas not the Athenians

alone that said 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; but the Latins used Cantherus for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and con∣slacuit for confracuit. The M has a dull Sound, and is pronounced with the outermost Parts of the Lips, from whence it has been called Mu∣giens Littera; it is drown'd often in Prose, as also sometimes in Verse. In the Law Restitutu' iri is put for Restitutum iri: The N on the Con∣trary was called Tinnieus Littera, because it had a clearer and sharper Sound, and sounded against the ••allate of the Mouth.

Those Consonants are called Mutes, which have a duller and less distinct sound than the rest. The B and the P are so like one another, that in the Opinion of Quintilian, concerning the Word Obtinuit, Reason would have him use a B, but his Ears could hear no other Sound than a P, Optinuit; for which Cause we see both by anci∣ent Inscriptions, and old Glosses, that these Two Letters have been often confounded, as apsens has been put for absens, obtimus for optimus; and the Germans to this Day say, ponum vinum for bonum vinum; these Two Letters have always had that in common, that they often slip in∣to Words without any need of them, as absporto put for asporto. The Letter F was pronounced as the Greek φ, but not with so strong an Aspi∣ration, according to the Testimony of Terren∣tianus. The Vah or V Consonant had a more plain Pronunciation, but with less Respiration than we now use it. The C and the Q are so very like one another, that several Grammarians have been minded to reject the Q as a superflu∣ous Letter, pretending that the C and the Ʋ were sufficient to express what we intend by a Q; but there is no reason why they should reject the Q, as Varro does, according to the Relation of Censorinus, and Licinius Calvus according to that of Victorinus; for 'tis still useful since it serves to join the two Vowels that follow into one Syllable, whereas the C denotes their being divided; and this is that which makes a Diffe∣rence between the Nominative, Qui, and the Da∣tive, Cui. D is nothing but a Diminution of T, as the G is of C, according to Quintilian, and these two Letters are so very like, that by rea∣son thereof, they are often found to be put one for another, as at for ad; which gives Quintilian occasion to laugh at those who make a Scruple of writing one indifferently for the other, as set for sed, haut for haud, atque for adque are to be met with in Inscriptions, and elsewhere.

In the French Tongue they write voit with a t, tho' it be derived from the Word Videt, and as often as the D is in the End of a Word, and that the succeeding Word begins with a Vowel, or an H that is not pronounced by way of Aspi∣ration, they sound it as a T; for Example, they pronounce it un grant Homme, tho' they write it un grand Homme. In every Thing else, they, as well as the English, have almost intirely retained the Pronunciation of the said two Let∣ters, saving that they soften the T very much when 'tis joined with an I before another Vowel, where they make it to sound very near like un∣to the S of the Ancients, as Pronuntio is sound∣ed, as if it were written Pronunsio. The S they call an hissing Letter, by reason of the Sound it has. The same has been variously received among the Ancients, some having rejected it very much while others did as much affect it: Pindar in a manner lays it aside in all his Verses: Quintilian says, 'tis harsh, and makes an ill Sound in the Conjunction of Words, whence it came to pass that many times it was entirely rejected: Plautus, Terence, and others using to write in this manner, Dignu' omnibu', and the like: Some of the Latins changed this Letter into a T; in Imitation of the Athenians, using Mertare for Mersare: Whereas others on the Contrary af∣fected the Use of it every where, as Casmenae was put for Camenae, Dusmosae for Dumosae: And Quintilian bears witness, that from Cicero's Time, and so onward, the same Letter was of∣ten doubled in the middle of Words, as may be instanced in Caussa, Divissiones, &c. But be it as it will, 'tis certain, that this Letter is harsh, if it be hissed out too much, or have too great a Train to follow it, and this has obliged the French to soften it to that degree, that when the same happens to fall between two Vowels they pronounce it like an Z.

The X sometimes is put with the C, as in the Words vicxit, juncxit, and the like; and many times with S, as you see in Capadoxs, Conjunxs, &c. St. Isidore testifies, that this Letter was not in use before the Reign of Augustus, and Victorinus says, Nigidius would never make use of it; and for the Z it was pronounced much more softly than the X; tho' the said Pronunciation was not altogether the same as it is at this Day, where∣in we give it but one half of an S, as in the Word Mezentius.

There has been a Dispute among Gramma∣rians, whether the H should be reckoned in the Number of Letters or no; because, say they, 'tis no more than an Aspiration.

It must be confest, the H is no more than an Aspiration, yet that does not hinder it to be a real Letter, which may be seen by what has been said before concerning the H.

The Romans made use of the Letters of the Alphabet only to denote their proper Names, and to abridge divers Words in their Inscriptions and ancient Monuments. A alone signified Aulus, from the Verb alo, he having been born Diis alentibus: In Judicial Proceedings it stood for absolvo; I discharge the Person accused: In the Assemblies for antiquo, I reject the Law proposed to be passed. A stood for Augustus: A A for Augusti, &c. C stood for Caius, he being so called from the Joy conceived by his Parents

at his Birth. C was used for Caesar, coming from the Verb Caedo, because his Mother's Body was cut open to bring him forth: C stood also for Consul, and C C for Consules, &c. D signi∣fied Decimus or Decius; that is, one born on the Tenth Day. L stood for Lucius, the Light, because the first Person that bore this Name was born at break of Day. M exprest Marcus, being as much as to say, one born in the Month of March, and this Letter with an Acute marked thus M' or with a Comma thus M' sig∣nifies Manius, that is, one born in the Morning, or rather, one that is all Good; the Contrary whereof is, Immanis, wicked, cruel, &c. N signifies Nepos, a Grandson. P implies Publius, from the Word Pubes, or Populus People. Q stands for Quintus. that is, the fifth Son of the Family, or Quaestor, a Treasurer, or Quirites, Cit∣tizens of Rome. T stands for Titus, from the Word Tueri, being as much as to say, the De∣fender or Preserver of ones Country, and the same Letters also of the Alphabet turned topsie∣turvey denoted the proper Names of the Ro∣man Ladies, W being put for Marca, and C for Caia.

They sometimes doubled the Letters of their Alphabet with the same Design, as A. P. signified Appius, which is derived from the Sabine Word Attius; for Attius Claudius was the first that was banished out of his Country that came to Rome, and changed his Name from Attius, to that of Appius Claudius. Cn signified as much as Cneus, that is, Naevus, from some Mark or Mole upon his Body. M F signified Marci Filius, the Son of Marck. M N denoted Marci Nepos; the Grandson of Marcus. P C signified Patres Conscripti; the Senators of Rome. P Q signi∣fied Populus Romanus; the Romans. R P was put for Respubiica; the Common-wealth. S C was used for Senatûs Consultum, the Order or Decree of the Senate. S P stands for Spurius, which denotes somewhat that was base in ones Birth, or that the Person was not legitimate. Ti, is put for Tiberius, as having been born near the Tiber. Cos. is put for Consul. Coss. for Consules in the Plural Number. S. P. Q. R. stands for Senatus, Populusque Romanus; the Senate and People of Rome. It is also found that the same Letter doubled serves to increase the Sig∣nification of a Word, or to signifie a Superlative Degree. Thus B. B. stands for bene bene: F. F. for fortissimè or felicissimè. L. L. for Iubentissimè, &c.

The Ancients, before Parchment was invent∣ed, wrote only on one fide, because the Leaves of the Tree, which they called Papyrus, whereon they wrote, were so thin, that the Back-side could not bear Ink: They did the same Thing, when they began to use Parchment, and as the Leaves thereof were very long and large, they were obliged to roll them up, and close them with a Boss made of Bone, Horn, or Ivory, like a Navel: And from thence came the Word Volume, from the Verb volvo, and this other La∣tin Phrase, ad umbilicum opus perductum; that is, a Business finish'd; for the same was closed up with this Boss or Stud: To write otherwise, was so very contrary to Custom; that when they were minded to ridicule any one, who was te∣dious, they said he wrote on both sides, and ne∣ver made an end. This Invention of Parchment is older than some Authors make it to be; since Herodotus relates, that the Ionians, who recei∣ved the Use of Letters from the Phoenicians, cal∣led the Skins of Beasts, Books; because they made use of them sometimes to write upon, and because a Treaty made between the old Ro∣mans and the Gabii, a People of Latium, was written in Antique Letters, upon an Ox his Hide, wherewith they covered a Wooden Shield, as Dionysius of Halicarnassus, informs us; they made use almost of all sorts of Things to write upon, as the Barks of Trees, Boards covered with Wax, or the like: Brass was also used on which the Spartans wrote to Simon, High Priest of the Jews; scripserunt ad cum, saith the Scripture, in Tabulis aereis: They wrote also up∣on Ivory, as Ʋlpian informs us, Libris Elephanti∣nis; upon Goat-skins, and the Entraiis of Animals, according to Herodotus, Cedrenus, and Zonaras; who relate, that there was in the Library at Constantinople, Homer's Iliads wrote in Gold Characters upon the Intestine of a Dragon, an 120 Foot in length. The Lombards, after their Irruption into Italy, wrote upon Wooden Ta∣bles, or Boards, that were very thin, whereon they drew Letters, as easily as upon Wax: Apuleius, in divers places, speaks of Linnea Books, Libri lintei, which were so valuable that they made no use of them but to record the Actions of the Roman Emperors; which were deposited in the Temple of Juno Moneta: They at first made use of a Stile to draw the Letters with; but afterwards Ink came in Fashion and the same was of divers Colours, even of Gold and Enamel. Pliny speaks of a Kind of pecu∣liar Ink for Books, which was mixt with some Wormwood-Juice to preserve them from Rats.

The Custom of using Gold is very ancient, seeing a certain Author hath given us an Ac∣count, that one of Pindar's Odes, which was the Seventh, was writ in Gold Characters, and kept in the Temple of Minerva: Silver was also in Use; but Purple was reserved for the Em∣perors only.