Latin Monumental Inscriptions [pp. 655-657]

656 Latin Monumental Inscriptions. [NovEMaER,
dressed man in the midst of a desert, and told him
that he was not alone; that other men, on that very
spot, have felt, and thought, and suffered like himself." We confess to the indulgence of the same
predilection, which is here so beautifully expressed;
and can remember no hour more agreeably passed
than that occupied in the perusal of ancient epitaphs.
In the heathen inscriptions, two peculiarities are
particularly striking, both from their frequency of
occurrence and their variety of phraseology: they
are a sensitive dread of sepulchral violation, and
the hopelessness of a future state. We shall give
a fewl illustrations: and first of the fear of spoliation.
NE TANGITO
O MORTALIS
REVERERE
MANES DEOS.
PER DEOS SUPEROS
INFEROSQUE TE ROGO NE
OSSUARJA VELIS VIOLARE.
Sometimes the entreaty is enforced by a threat
TU NE VELL1S ALIENA MEMBRA
INQUIETARE IACENTIS DOL1ES
CO,1PARABIT SIBI QUOD St NO
CUERIS NOCEBERIS AB ALIO.
But the following, found at Rome, is the most
remarkable of all: it is unequalled in the condensed form and bitterness of the imprecation.
QUISQUIS
HOC JUSTERLERIT AUT LAESER1T
ULTIMUS SUO
RUMI MORIATUR.
We can offer no better commentary on this terrible curse, than the words of one to whom it was a
sad experience:
" What is the worst of woes that wait on age?
What stamps the wrinkle deeper on the brow?
To view each loved one blotted from life's page,
And be alone on earth, as I am now."
In many the grave is called "DoMus AETERNA;" and it is frequently declared sacred to everlasting sleep-SOMNO AETERNO SACRUM. Some
display a mournful despair, uncheered by the faintest hope of immortality; or tell of a life of sorrow, which the being whom it burdened, yearned
longingly to exchange for the unbroken repose of
the tomb-of a soul, which having tasted of life,
preferred annihilation to endless existence.
DE NIL IN NIL
QUI VIDIT BONi NIL
NON FUI ET SUM
NON ERO. NON MIHI DOLET.
Her parents placed this over a young maiden,
who suffered "the doom Heaven gives its favorites-an early death."
QUEM DI AMAVERUNT
HAEC MORITUR INFANS.
In the next a mourning mother prays for a reunion with her child.
LAGGE. FILI
BENE QUIESCAS
MATER TUA ROGAT
TE. UT ME AD TE REClPIAS.
Epicurean maxims occasionally occur, as the
following celebrated one, found at Narbonne.
AMICI
DUM V1VIMUS
VIVAMUS.
Some bear testimony to purity and irreproachableness of life. This, a brother's offering to the
memory of his sister.
DIIS MANIB
CAMILL. AUGUSILAE
QUAE V1XIT ANNIS XXX
DIEB. V. DE QUA NERUO
SUORUM UMQUAM
DOLUIT NISI MORTEM
SELENIUS REGINUS. FRATER SORORI
KARISSIMAE DEDICAVIT.
No anticipations of a future life are ever expressed: and the heathen "prayers for the dead"
are confined to the simple, yet gracefill, SIT TiBit
TERRA LEVIs. But there is a touching pathos in
this brief sentence, which possesses for us a peculiar charm. The most anxious affection of a pagan parent dared invoke no higher blessing on a
departed child, than that the earth might lie light
upon him.
The Christian inscriptions, to which we next
turn, are generally accompanied by some allusive
symbol: that forming the monogram of the name
of Christ, is most common. Many of them consist solely of this figure, and the words
IN PACE.
How short, yet how significant! These two simple words proclaim, that, escaped from the troublous storms of earth, a Christian sleeps in peace
beneath: the persecuted has reached his refuge,
and the weary is at rest. And the symbol tells us,
that refuge is his Saviour-that rest is in Heaven.
Occasionally there is only a name; as
AGAPE.
In the following a mother charges her children
not to mourn for her:
VIVENTEM DEO
CREDITE FLERE NEFAS.
656
Latin Monumental Inscriptions.
[NOvEMBER,