362 CHRISTIAN EPITAPHS OP 



Hie requiescit dulcissimus puer Gordianus Jilius supra scriptee. 

 Depositus Idibus Septembi'ibus, Symmacho, Viro Clarissimo, Consule. 

 Hie requiescit Mmiliana Sacra Firgo. Deposita quinto Idus De- 

 [cembres, Probino, Viro Clarissimo, Consule. 



" I, Petronia, the wife of a Deacon, the type of modesty, lay down my 

 bones in this resting-place. Refrain from tears, my sweet daughters and 

 husband, and believe that it is forbidden to weep for one who lives in God. 

 Buried, in peace, on the third day before the Nones of October (i.e. October 

 5th), in the Consulship of Festus, a most distinguished man, i.e. 472, a.d. 

 Here rests in peace, Paula, a most distinguished woman, the sweet, kind, 

 gracious daughter of the above mentioned ; buried on the seventh day before 

 the Calends of September (i.e. August 26th), in the Consulship of Venantius, 

 a most distinguished man, i.e. 484, a.d. Here rests a very sweet boy, Gor- 

 dianus, son of the above mentioned ; buried on the Ides of September (i.e. 

 September 13th), in the Consulship of Symmachus, a most distinguished man, 

 i.e. 485, A.D. Here rests jEmiliana, a sacred virgin ; buried on the fifth day 

 before the Ides of December (i.e. December 9th), in the Consulship of Pro- 

 binus, a most distinguished man," i.e. 489, a.d. 



1. 1. Levitce. This term is used for Diaconus, as the latter is 

 unsuitable for hexameters. The diflSculty is got over sometimes by 

 syncope, soil. Diacnus, as by Venantius; sometimes by using Zaconus, 

 for Diaconus. I have regarded Petronia as supposed to speak fronj 

 the beginning. Others will, perhaps, prefer taking the first verse as 

 expressed by the author of the epitaph. De Rossi's comment is well 

 worth reading. It contains a most ingenious and conclusive argument, 

 that Gregory the Great was a descendant of the persons named in 

 this epitaph. 



(/.) To a sub-deacon: — 66. 



HIC QVIESCET APPIANVS SVBDIACONVS QVI VIXIT 



[ANNVS 

 XXXII DIES XXVIIII r> III IDVS APRICON POSTV- 



[MIANI VC 



(/« basil. S. Alexandri via Nomeniana ; De Rossi, n. 743.) 



Hie quiescet (quiescit) Jppianus, Subdiaconus, qui vixit annus 

 (annos) XXXII, dies XXVIIII. Depositus tertio Idus Apriles, 

 Consulatu Postumiani, Viri Clarissimi. 



"Here rests Appianus, a Sub-deacon, who lived thirty-two years, twenty- 

 nine days. Buried on the third day before the Ides of April, in the Consul- 

 ship of Postumianus, a most distinguiahed man," i.e. April 11th, 448, a.d. 



