55 



carriages of every kind. This description exactly suits the 

 ornaments which have heen found at Stanwick and elsewhere, 

 which hear evident marks of silvering upon bronze, and we 

 can hardly help concluding that they were the production of 

 the Bituriges, and that Verecundus Diogenes came to Eboracum 

 to deal in them. 



He appears from the inscription to have been a Sevir or 

 Sexvir of the Colony. There has been considerable controversy 

 among antiquaries respecting the nature of this office. The 

 name itself, like Decemvir, Duumvir, tells us nothing as to its 

 duties, describing only the number of persons who formed the 

 board. Some have supposed the Seviri to be priests, others to 

 be judges. If single inscriptions given in collections could be 

 trusted, both these opinions would appear to be supported by 

 evidence ; for we find in one ' Seviro Sacris faciundis, which 

 would decide for the sacerdotal character ; in another ^ Seviro 

 juri dicundo, which would prove a judicial office. But there can 

 be little doubt that in the first instance we should read quinde- 

 cimviro, and in the second quatuorviro. These are of frequent 

 occurrence ; the others solitary ; and the mistake in the latter 

 case is very easily made. ^ We find also mention of a Sevir 

 equitum Romanorum, or turmcs equitum ; but he was probably 

 difierent from the Sevir of our inscription. * I believe that the 

 office of Sevir is no where mentioned in the remains of Latin 

 literature, except in two or three passages of Petronius Arbiter. 

 In his Satyricon the vain and luxurious Trimalchio composes 

 for himself an epitaph : " Cn. Pompeius Trimalchio hie requiescit. 

 Huic Seviratus absenti delatus est." ^ In the same strain he else- 

 where says of himself, " Spero sic me vivere ut nemini 

 jocus sim; nemo mihi in foro dixit, Redde quod debes. 

 Glebulas emi : viginti ventres pasco et canem. Sevir gratis 

 factus sum. Spero, sic moriar ut mortuus non erubescam." 

 Over his triclinium also was inscribed, " Cn. Pompeio Trimal- 

 chioni, Seviro Augustali." 



* Grater Corp. Inscr. 442, 1. Orelli, however, 3999, gives as genuine an inscrip- 

 tion in which VI. VIR., S. F. (sacris faciundis) occurs. 



* Grater 385, 6. ' Sevir is written in inscriptions Iiiiil ; Quatuorvir Iiil. 



* Jul. Capit. M. Anton. PhU. §. 6. * P. 272, Ed. Hadrianides. lb. p. 212. 



