THE FIRST SIX CENTURIES. 291 



36. 

 ERENI QVE VIXITANN 

 PMXLVCVMCVPARE 

 SVO FECITANNVSVIII 

 QVERECESSITIIINONIN 

 PACESVBDAMASOEPISCO • 



{In 3Ius. Lat.; De Rossi, n. 190.) 



Ereni (Eirenae), que (quae) vixit annos plus minus JtXF, cum 

 tupare (compare) suo fecit annus (annos) VIII, que (quae) recessit 

 III Nonas in pace sub Damaso Episcopo. 



" To Eirene, who lived forty-five years, more or less, passed eight 

 years with her husband, who retired on the third day before the Nones, 

 in peace, under Bishop Damasus," i.e. 366 or 367, a.d. 



Mamachi, Zacearia, and Morcelli inferred from this inscription, 

 tliat the names of the Bishops of Rome were used, from the fourth 

 century, to mark dates. But, in all the dated epitaphs, there is 

 only one other example of this use. See De Rossi, n. 139. The 

 reason for using the terms sub Bamaso Episcopo here is, that in the 

 first two years of his Episcopate there was a rival bishop, Ursimts, 

 or TJrsicinus, whose claims were supported hy a considerable portion 

 of the laity. The deceased, or her friends, took the side of Damasus. 



37. 

 • HIC REQUIESCIT IN PACE FILICISSIMA 



QVAE YIXIT ANNVS LX • QVAE FECIT CVM VIRO 

 SUO ANNVS XL-DEPOSITA PRIDIE • KAL • IAN ' 

 HONORIO • AUa • UII • HILARANVS CONTRA 

 VOTVM POSUIT 



{In Mus. Capitol. ; Be Rossi, n. 511.) 



Hie requiescit in pace Filicissima (Felicissima), qu<R vixit annus 

 {annos) LX, qua fecit cum viro suo annus, (annos) XL. Deposita, 

 pridie Kalendas Januarias, Honorio Augusto FII. Hilaranus 

 contra votum posuit. 



"Here rests in peace, Felicissima, who lived sixty years, who passed 

 with her husband forty years. Buried on the day before the Calends 

 of January, in the Consulship of Honorius Augustus, for the seventh time 

 (i.e. December 31st, 407, a.d.) Hilaranus placed this against his wish." 



This use of contra votum is found in heathen inscriptions. The 

 origin of it, I suspect, was, that when a person had made a vow 



