"MECUREU' DNT. PUERICIE PAN. X."
Or, "Mercurius dominatur puerilite per annos X." (Selvatico reads VII.) "Mercury governs boyhood for ten (or seven) years."
Third side. An older youth, with another tablet, but broken. Inscribed
"ADOLOSCENCIE * * * P. AN. VII."
Selvatico misses this side altogether, as I did the first, so that the lost planet is irrecoverable, as the inscription is now defaced. Note the o for e in adolescentia; so also we constantly find u for o; showing, together with much other incontestable evidence of the same kind, how full and deep the old pronunciation of Latin always remained, and how ridiculous our English mincing of the vowels would have sounded to a Roman ear.
Fourth side. A youth with a hawk on his fist.
"IUVENTUTI DNT. SOL. P. AN. XIX." The sue governs youth for nineteen years.
Fifth side. A man sitting, helmed, with a sword over his shoulder. Inscribed
"SENECTUTI DNT MARS. P. AN. XV." Mars governs manhood for fifteen years.
Sixth side. A very graceful and serene figure, in the pendent cap, reading.