L.

[Having had an opportunity of inspecting a copy of Hamelmann’s Chronicle, at present belonging to Mr. Quaritch, in which there is a very interesting engraving of the horn in question (which may possibly have been a Charter Horn), we are not disposed to pronounce it older than the latter end of the fifteenth century.  If, however, it is still preserved at Copenhagen, some correspondent there will perhaps do us the favour to furnish us with a precise description of it, and with the various legends which are inscribed upon it.—­Ed.]

* * * * *

Greek particles illustrated by the Eastern languages.

The affinity which exists between such of the vernacular languages of India as are offshoots of the Sanscrit, as the Hindostanee, Mahratta, Guzeratee, &c., and the Greek, Latin, German, and English languages, is now well known to European scholars, more especially since the publication of the researches of Vans Kennedy, Professor Bopp of Berlin, &c.  Indeed, scarcely a day passes in which the European resident in India may not recognise, in his intercourse with the natives, many familiar words in all those languages, clothed in an oriental dress.  I am inclined also to think that new light may be thrown upon some of the impracticable Greek particles by a reference to the languages of the East; and without wishing to be understood as laying down anything dogmatically in the present communication, I hope, through the medium of your valuable publication, to attract attention to this subject, and invite discussion on it.  Taking, as an illustration, the 233d line of the first book of the Iliad, where the hero of the poem is violently abusing Agamemnon for depriving him of his prize, the fair maid Briseis, he says,

  [Greek:  “All’ ek toi ereo, kai epi megan horkon homoumai.”]

What is the meaning of [Greek:  ek] in the above line?  It is commonly construed with [Greek:  ereo], and translated, “I plainly tell thee—­I declare to thee;” [Greek:  exereo], “I speak out—­proclaim.”  But may it not be identical with the Sanscrit ek, “one,” a word, as most of your readers are doubtless aware, in universal use throughout India, Persia, &c; the rendering literally running thus: 

  “But one thing I tell thee,” &c.

That this is the original sense of the line appears probable by comparing it with line 297. of the {419} same book, where in the second speech of Achilles, that impiger, iracundus, inexorabilis, acer, chieftain again scolds “the king of men,”—­

  “[Greek:  Allo de toi ereo, sy d’ ene phresi balleo sesi.]”
      “And another thing I tell thee.”

This rendering receives additional confirmation by a comparison with the following: 

  “[Greek:  Touto de toi ereo.]”
      Il. iii. 177., and Od. vii. 243.
  “[Greek:  Panta de toi ereo.]”
      Od. iv. 410., and x. 289.