244 



A fac-simile of the tablet given in the Berlin Hermes, Vol. xv., 

 March, 1881, shows the inscription clearer than a photograph, and Mr. 

 Birch thus reads the text as : — 



No contractions are used except Q for qui. As the whole of the 

 fourth word could not be got into the first line, it was finished on the 

 second, and so with the third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh lines 

 which all begin with end parts of words from the lines above them. 

 The reversed mode of writing is supposed to recommend itself to the 

 avenging deity. 



By this reading the inscription becomes clear and we get an intelli- 

 gible piece of tragedy. It works out as : — 



Q(ui) MIHI VILBIAM JTJGOLAVIT ( = 



jugulavitj SIC LiQUAT ( = ]iquatur) 

 CoM° ( = Comodo, quomodo) aqua. Tale 

 vu (enus) Q(ui or quae) cum (sa)LVAViT 

 (est or f nit) velvinna exsupereus 

 afri(c)anus severinus agustalis 



COMITIANCJS MINIANUS CATUS GERMANILLA 

 JOVINA 



" Mihi" is considered to refer to Germanilla Jovina. 



In the Journal no translation is given, but Mr. Birch has kindly 

 favoured us — his own version being so desirable — aud gives the 

 following ; 



May he who cut Vilbia's throat for me melt away like water. It 

 is (or was) Velvinna who cured her of such a wound. Exsupereus 



