ROYAL IRISH ACADEMY. 
275 
I remark on the words singly. 
Mi. — I agree with Donaldson, = eapu, or in old inscriptions e/tu = ei/u. 
Nile. —I find in an epigram of Simonides that Niko was the name 
of a woman in his day. It applies particularly happily in this case, as 
in the same tomb were found the gold ornaments of a female, supposed 
to he a warrior queen. 
Thuma requires no remark, except that strong perfumes were found 
in these Etrurian tombs. 
Mi .—This mi, and those following, I look upon as moi, or Lat. 
miJii, contracted ml. Donaldson acknowledges a difference of quantity 
from the first mi. 
Mathu. —Doric form of geOv. 
Maram seems doubtful. I have supposed it to mean ggpov, or thigh. 
Lisia is conjectural. I supposed it might mean Xiao to, I entreat; 
but Xvaei, for sacrifice or expiation, seems as probable. 
Itlii porenai. —Go provide. Neither o nor to occurs in these inscrip¬ 
tions: its place is supplied by v generally; occasionally by a. The 
form of porenai seems poetic, like (joop^vai in Homer for <popeiv. It may 
be read purenai for pureuein, or burn; but a word applicable to all the 
nouns seems preferable. 
Etera (of to understood), othenvise. The e possibly of the inscrip¬ 
tion doubled by mistake. 
Isie of the inscription I suppose to be et?, or eaai, its Doric form. 
Epana. —An old form of the word, not now occurring as an ad¬ 
jective ; G7ravio9 and Trevrjs, other forms; but tjTravia occurs, though 
rare. 
Nethu. —An old word for water. It were hard to say how it became 
obsolete in Greek. It remains in vrjaaa , vtjtt a, a duel (or water-fowl), 
and several other words, and Donaldson says is the origin of the water- 
god Neptunus; in older form Nethuns. This root remains in German, 
nass (wet), and Dutch and Flemish nat (meaning either water or wet). 
Naston. —Barley-cake. Perhaps it might be read in the genitive 
vacrov, t t or oXi^ov understood. 
Aleipha is rather an Ionic than a Doric or Epic form; the h merely 
marks a difference of pronunciation. See Thiersch, Gr. Grammar, p. 45, 
that the rough breathing has been dropped from many Greek words in 
later times. 
To conclude-—I do not pretend to defend every word of the above 
interpretation; it must be remembered that had spelling is not uncommon 
in such early inscriptions, and allowances made accordingly. It is suf¬ 
ficient for me if on the whole it presents a probable meaning, and if it 
should furnish the slightest clue to other inscriptions I shall be amply 
rewarded for any little pains which this one may have cost me. 
Donaldson furnished me with the three words,-—the first mi, mathu, 
and nethu. The lines seem to be verse ; but I have not attempted here 
to scan them. I would give Donaldson’s explanation, if it did not re¬ 
quire to be explained. 
