MARITVS VXORI PIENTISSIMAE.
POSUIT.
This poor girl was not only too young to die, but too young to marry,
one would think; I wish therefore her afflicted husband had told us how
many years he had been married to a wife who died at the age of
fourteen, two months, and five days. The cornucopiae, I suppose, were to
signify that this virtuous wife, I was going to say maid, was the source
of all his pleasure and happiness. The _Paterae_ were vases destined to
receive the blood of the victims.
Supponunt alij cultros, tepidumque cruorem
Suscipiunt Pateris,--_Says the Poet_.
On each side of the tomb are the symbols of sacrifice. It is very
evident from the fine polish of this monument, that her husband had
obtained the Emperor's particular leave to finish it highly.
Rogum _ascia ne Polito_ says the law of the twelve tables.
On another tomb, which is of common stone, in the middle of a shield
supported by two Cupids, is the following inscription:
M IVNIO MESSIANO
----VTRICI.
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