"Gulfinus, a servant of God, lived seventy years, more or less. He retired (from this world), in peace, on the third day before the Calends of August, in the 500th year of the æra," i.e. July 30th, 462, a.d. The Spanish æra counts from January 1st, 38, B.C. There are many examples of its use. The oldest that I have observed is that given above. (Galistei in Lusitania, ex Emerita; Muratori, 1821, 9.) Eternalis, famulus Dei, vixit annos XLVI, requiescit in pace, VI. Kalendas Septembres, era Domini DXLVIII. 'Æternalis, a servant of God, lived forty-six years, rested in peace on the sixth day before the Calends of September, in the 500th year of the æra of (our) Lord,” i.e. August 27th, 510, a.d. I have given this example on account of the use of DNI, which is not common. If we had ANNO DNI, it would, of course, refer to the Christian, or Dionysian, æra; but this is said to have been first used in the year of Christ, 525. As it stands, DNI = Domini means Augustus, referring to his subjugation of Spain. Or, is DNI a contraction of Dominii, i.e. of Roman rule? IV. THOSE IN WHICH THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE DECEASED IS (a.) To a father :— STATED. LEOPARDO PATRI DVLCISSIMO BENEMERENTI IN PACE DEP DIE XV KALIAN CONSTANTIO VIII (Ad S. Agnen.; De Rossi, n. 130.) Leopardo, patri dulcissimo, benemerenti in pace. Kalendas Januarias, Constantio VIII et Juliano Depositus, die XV Cæsare Consulibus. "To Leopardus (our, or my) sweetest father, well-deserving, in peace. Buried on the fifteenth day before the Calends of January, in the Consulship of Constantius, for the eighth time, and Julianus Cæsar," i. e. December 18th, 356, A.D. The terms designating animals were commonly applied as names of persons, both by pagans and by Christians, who, also, were in the habit of using figures of those animals as representatives, as in modern heraldry we have "canting arms," armes parlantes. Thus, in the Catacombs, we find a lion for a man named Leo, a little pig for a girl named Porcella, with the object, as is believed, of enabling those who could not read, to distinguish the loculus of a friend or relative. Tigriti (Tigridi) benemeriii (benemerita), in pace, que (quæ) vicsit (vixit) annos XXX, menses II. Deposita, VIII Kalendas Januarias, Dominis Nostris Teudosio (Theodosio) III et Eugenio. Eilius (filius) eecei (feci) matri. "To Tigris, well-deserving, in peace, who lived thirty years, two months. Buried on the eighth day before the Calends of January, (in the Consulship of) our Lords Theodosius, for the third time, and Eugenius" (i.e. December 25th, 393, A.D.) I, (her) son, made (this) for (my) mother." 28. (c.) To a husband : Depossio (depositio) Juniani, pridie Idus Apriles, Marcellino et Probino Consulibus, qui bixit (vixit) annis (annos) XL. In pace decissit (decessit) et amator pauperorum (pauperum), vixit cum brginia (virginia) annis (annos) XV. Bene merenti, birginia (vir ginia) sua Bictora (Victoria), bene merenti, fecit amatrix pauperorum (pauperum) et operaria. "The burial of Junianus (took place) on the day before the Ides of April, in the consulship of Marcellinus and Probinus (¿.e. April 12th, 341, A.D.), who lived forty years. He departed, in peace, and (was) a lover of the poor. He lived with his wife fifteen years. To him, well-deserving, his wife Victoria, a lover of the poor, and attentive to her work, made (this) to him well-deserving." = 1. 3. Brginia = Virginia = a wife, who was a maiden when married. Thus, also, Virginius Maritus. 1. 4. Operaria industrious. This praise of a female is found in heathen epitaphs. Thus, lanam fecit, Gruter, 769, 9; lanifica, Orelli, 4658; and kai épуáris, Boeckh, Corp. Inscrip. Græc., 954. IDVS IANVARIAS DEFVNCTVS EST (E coem. Prætextati; De Rossi, n. 104.) Limenio et Catulino Consulibus, III Idus Januarias, defunctus est Evvodius qui vixit annos LXV, menses III, et dies XI. Benemerenti in pace fecit conjux. "In the Consulship of Limenius and Catulinus (2.e. 349, A.D.), on the, third day before the Ides of January (i.e. January 11th), Evodius died, who lived sixty-five years, three months, and eleven days. His wife made (this) to him, well-deserving, in peace." 30. FELIX SANCTAE FIDEI VOCITVS IIT IN PACE· CVIVS · TANTVS AMOR ET CARITAS RETENETVR · AB [AMICIS IN AEVO QVI CVM ESSET FVIT SOLACIVS MISERICORS OMNIBVS AGRIPPINA FECIT DVLCISSIMO SVO MARITO [NOTVS. CVM QVEM VIXIT SINE LESIONE ANIMI ANNOS III· [ET M.X. FVIT IN SAECVLVM QUOD VIXIT ANNOS XXXII · DEP · XIII • [KAL SEPT· VALENTINIANO NP ET VICTORI CONSS (E basilica Vaticana; De Rossi, n. 211.) Felix, sanctæ fidei, vocitus (vocatus) iit in pace, cujus tantus amor et caritas retenetur (retinetur) ab amicis: in ævo qui cum esset fuit solacius, misericors, omnibus notus. Agrippina fecit dulcissimo suo marito, cum quem (quo) vixit sine lesione (læsione) animi annos III et menses X. Fuit in sæculum (sæculo), quod (quoad) vixit, annos XXXII. Depositus, XIII Kalendas Septembres, Valentiniano, Nobilissimo puero, et Victori (Victore) Consulibus. Felix, of sacred honor, (when) called (away) went in peace, whose love and affection are so warmly cherished by his friends: who, when he was in life, was known to all for sympathy with the afflicted, and compassion towards the distressed. Agrippina made (this) to her very sweet husband, with whom she lived, without jarring, three years and ten months. He was in this world, whilst he lived, thirty-two years. Buried on the thirteenth day before the Calends of September, in the Consulship of Valentinianus, the most noble boy, and Victor," i.e. August 20th, 369, A.D. 1. 1. Sanctæ fidei. Literally "holy faith," but the meaning seems to be "of sacred honor," "of strict integrity." Vocitus for vocatus, as probitus, rogitus. 1. 5. Sine læsione animi. Northcote, "Roman Catacombs," p. 137, seems to regard such statements of conjugal harmony, as peculiar to Christian inscriptions; but this eulogy is often found in heathen epitaphs, both from husbands to wives, and vice versa. Other forms of it are sine querela, sine jurgio, sine dissidio. Hence, Kenrick, "Roman Sepulchral Inscriptions," p. 42, justly remarks: "The married life of the Romans appears to have been remarkably free from domestic differences." 1. 7. Nobilissimo puero. Nobilissimus was the term applied to the Cæsar from the time of Commodus and Severus; but, in the fourth century, it was extended in its use. TIANO AVG II ET PROBO CON (Neapoli, in Mus. Borbon.; De Rossi, n. 225.) Mire (mira) sapientiæ Augendo, qui vixit annos plus minus LXXII. Cum uxore fecit annos XXX. Depositus, XVI Kalendas Octobres, Domino nostro Gratiano Augusto II et Probo Consulibus. "To Augendus, of wonderful wisdom, who lived seventy-two years, more or less. He passed thirty years with his wife. Buried on the sixteenth day before the Calends of October, in the Consulship of our Lord Gratian Augustus, for the second time, and Probus," i.e. September 16th, 371, A.D. 1. 4. Fecit. Facere is often used in the sense "to spend," "to pass," in Christian epitaphs; and this signification is not peculiar to them. 32. APRO QVI VIXIT · ANNOS XLVIII MENSES III DIES XVI: DEPOSITVS IN PACE VI· KALENDAS MARTIAS POST CONS GRATIANI ET EQVITII LIMFIRIA MARITO FECIT MECVM ANNOS XX· (E coem. Callisti.; De Rossi, n. 248.) Apro, qui vixit annos XLVIII, menses III, dies XVI. Depositus in pace, VI Kalendas Martias, post consulatum Gratiani et Equitii. Limfiria marito. Fecit mecum annos viginti. "To Aper, who lived forty-eight years, four months, sixteen days. Buried, in peace, on the sixth day before the Calends of March, in the year after the Consulship of Gratianus and Equitius (i.e. February 24th, 375, A.D.). Limfiria to her husband. He passed twenty years with me." CISSIMAE FEMINAE QVE FECIT INCONIVGIO ANN. [XXIII D XIIII BENEMERENTI· QVEVIXIT ANN XL · M · XI · D · XIII [DEPOSITIO EIVS DIE III NONAS OCT NEPOTIANO ET FACVNDO CONSS. [IN PACE (In Mus. Lat.; De Rossi, n. 45.) Bene merenti. Cubiculum Aurelia Martinæ, castissimæ adque (atque) pudicissimæ feminæ, que (quæ) fecit in conjugio annos |