History of Roman Literature from its Earliest Period to the Augustan Age. Vol. IDunlop, John Colin
History
History of Roman Literature from its Earliest Period to the Augustan Age. Vol. I
Dunlop, John Colin
Latin literature -- History and criticism
There are also extant two inscriptions, which were engraved on the
tombstones of Lucius Scipio Barbatus and his son Lucius Scipio, of which
the former was somewhat prior, and the latter a year subsequent to the
date of the Duillian inscription. The epitaph on Barbatus was discovered
in 1780, in the vault of the Scipian family, between the Via Appia and Via
Latina. Mr Hobhouse informs us that it is inscribed on a handsome but
plain sarcophagus, and he adds, “that the eloquent simple inscription
becomes the virtues and fellow-countrymen of the deceased, and instructs
us more than a chapter of Livy in the style and language of the Republican
Romans”(94):—
“Cornelius Lucius Scipio Barbatus Gnaivod patre prognatus fortis vir
sapiensque quoius forma virtutei parisuma fuit. Consol Censor Aidilis quei
fuit apud vos Taurasia Cisauna Samnio cepit subicit omne Loucana
opsidesque abdoucit.”
The above may be converted into modern Latin, as follows:
“C. L. Scipio Barbatus, Cneio patre prognatus, fortis vir sapiensque,
cujus forma virtuti par fuit. Consul, Censor, Ædilis qui fuit apud vos,
Taurasiam, Cisaunam, Samnio cepit; subjecit omnem Lucaniam obsidesque
abducit.” The other Scipian epitaph had been discovered long before the
above, on a slab which was found lying near the Porta Capena, having been
detached from the family vault. Though a good many years later as to the
date of its composition, the epitaph on the son bears marks of higher
antiquity than that on the father:—
“Honc oino ploirume consentiunt duonoro optumo fuise viro Lucium Scipione.
Filios Barbati Consol Censor Ædilis hec fuit. Hec cepit Corsica Aleriaque
urbe: dedit tempestatibus aide mereto;” which means, “Hunc unum plurimi
consentiunt Romæ bonorum optimum fuisse virum Lucium Scipionem. Filius
Barbati, Consul, Censor, Ædilis his fuit. Hic cepit Corsicam Aleriamque
urbem: dedit tempestatibus ædem merito”.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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