IX. On a Metrical Latin Inscription copied by Mr Blakesley at Cirta and 

 jmblished in his ' Four Months in Algeria.' By H. A. J. Munro, M.A. 

 Fellow of Trinity College. 



[Read February 13, I860.] 



'One of the most remarkable objects of antiquity which has been brought to light is 

 a tomb of imposing dimensions on the south-west side of the city... On the fourth side [of 

 the lower tomb] three sarcophagi are still lying. A fourth was taken from one of the niches, 

 and on it is an extremely curious inscription, remarkable both for its portentous latinity and 

 the blunders of the stonecutter in executing it. It is the epitaph of a Cirta banker who lived 

 to the age of more than a hundred years etc. 



I give the inscription exactly as it appears on the stone without any division of the words. 

 There are eight unequal lines and two or three gaps : — 



HICEGOQVITACEOVEESIBVSMEA • • TADEMONSTROLVCEMCLARAFKVI 



TVSETTEMPORASVMMAPRA.ECILrvSOIETEjrSILAREABGENTARI 



AMLXIBVIARTEMTYDESINMEMIRAPVILSEMPERETVERITASOMNISOM 



NISBVSCOMMVNISEGOCVINONMISERTVSVBIQVERISVSIVXVRIASEMPERFRVITVSCVN 



CAHISAXICISTALEMPOSTOBITVMDOMINAEVALERIAENONINVENIPVDICAEVITAMCVMPOTVI 



GRATAMHABVICVNC0NIVGESANCTAMNATALESH0NESTEME0SCENTVMCELEBRAVIFELICE8 



ATVENITPOSTREMADIESVTSPIRITVSINANIAMEMPEARELIQVATTITTVLOSQVOSLEGISVIVVSMEE 



M0RTIPARAVIVTVO"VEQREVNAMNO-AMEDE8ERVITIPSA8EQVIMINITALESEIICV0SEX0HECT0VENITAE 



The old gentleman probably intended to write: Hie ego qui taceo versibus mea fata dc- 

 monstro, lucem claram fruitus et tempora summa. Prjecilius, Cirtensi Lare, argentariam exhibui 

 artem. Fides in me mira fait semper et Veritas omnis omnibus communis. Ego cui noii 

 misertus ubique ? Risus, luxuriam semper fruitus cum caris amicis, talem post obitum Domina^ 

 Valeria non inveni. Pudice vitam cum potui gratam habui cum conjuge sancta. Natales 

 honeste meos centum celebravi felices. At venit postrema dies ut spiritus inania membra 

 relinquat. Titulos quos legis, vivus mea morti paravi ut voluit Fortuna. Nunquam mc 

 deseruit ipsa. Sequimini tales : hinc vos exspecto. Venite.' 



Blakesley's Foxtr Montlis in Algeria, p. 28.'5. 



I subjoin at once the above inscription arranged in verses. The nature of these singular 

 verses it is the purpose of the following paper to elucidate. 



