Description: Marble
panel
w:
1.10 x h:
0.425 x d:
0.025
Text:
Inscribed on the face, filling almost all the space available: in the left margin are two
painted christograms, in the right margin are two more, at the top and bottom, and betwwen them an inscribed palm.
Letters: 0.035-0.05
Date: Fourth-fifth centuries CE (context)
Findspot: Sabratha:
Catacomb, arcosolium B4
Original location: Findspot
Last recorded location: Findspot
Interpretive
text
Casta fides mentis semper seruata marito
ad caelum peruexit obans tua gaudia uitae;
exemplare manent terris imitanda pudicis.
laus habet hoc meritum: seruat tua fama pudorem
5exuperans mortis legem cum durat in aebum.
sic uiuunt mores sic numquam deficit aetas.
te doluit genus omne tu<u>m te cunctae pudicae,
innocuam quisquis miratus tempore uitam.
non moritur fatum soluuntur corpora l{a}eto
10angustos uitae uicisti temporis annos Acrostic
Diplomatic
text
CASTAFIDESMENTISSEMPERSERUATAMARITO
ADCAELUMPERUEXITOBANSTUAGAUDIAUITAE
EXEMPLAREMANENTTERRISIMITANDAPUDICIS
LAUSHABETHOCMERITUM:SERUATTUAFAMAPUDOREM
5EXUPERANSMORTISLEGEMCUMDURATINAEBUM
SICUIUUNTMORESSICNUMQUAMDEFICITAETAS
TEDOLUITGENUSOMNETUMTECUNCTAEPUDICAE
INNOCUAMQUISQUISMIRATUSTEMPOREUITAM
NONMORITURFATUMSOLUUNTURCORPORALAETO
10ANGUSTOSUITAEUICISTITEMPORISANNOS Acrostic
English translation
Translation by: Charlotte Roueché
A pure faithfulness of mind always retained towards your husband has born you to heaven prasing the joys of your life, which
remain on earth as an example to be imitated by the modest. Praise has this benefit, that your reputation conserves modesty,
when, overcoming the law of death, it remains for eternity. Thus conduct lives, thus time does not diminish it. All your family
mourned you, as do all modest women, as does anyone who has admired your innocent life in time. Fate does not die; it is bodies
that are dissolved by death; you have vanquished the brevity of your life.
Bibliography: Nestori, 1973 20, whence EDCS 53500002, Musisque Deoque 710
Images
None available (2021).
