DISCIPLINA CAETERIS FEMINIS EXEMPLVM, “She was equally in manners and education an example to other women;” DE CVIVS PVDORE NEMO DICERE POTVIT, “Against whose modesty no one could say aught;”[752] and this noble testimony to a magistrate, QVID ESSET MALEDICERE NESCHT NON TANQVAM, “What it was to speak evil he did not even know.”
But it is especially in the domestic relations that the tender and pure affections of the Christians are most beautifully exhibited. His heart must be callous indeed, who can read without emotion these humble records of love and sorrow, which have survived so many of the proudest monuments of antiquity. In the hour of tearful parting from the dearly loved, the richest affections of the soul are breathed forth, as the flower when crushed exhales its sweetest fragrance. These rude inscriptions speak to our hearts with a power and pathos all their own. Their mute eloquence sweeps down the centuries, and touches chords in every soul that thrill with keenest sympathy. The far severed ages are linked together by the tale of death and sorrow—old as humanity yet ever new. The bleaching skeletons in their stony beds seem clothed again with human flesh and warm with living love. The beauty and tenderness of Christian family life is vividly exhibited—the hallowing influence of religion making earthly love the type of love eternal in the skies. The tie that knits fond hearts together becomes the stronger as death smites at it in vain. The language of affection becomes more fervent as the barrier of the grave is interposed.
Especially is this the case when sorrowing parents mingle their tears at the tiny loculus of their babe, consigned to earth’s cold keeping from their loving arms—their bud of promise blighted, and hope’s blossom withered to bloom only in the skies. The warmest expressions of endearment are lavished on the tombs of little children. Thus we have such tender epithets as DVLCIOR MELLE, “Sweeter than honey;” ΓΛΥΚΥΤΕΡΟϹ ΦΩΤΟϹ ΚΑΙ ΖΩΗϹ, “Sweeter than light and life;” AGNELLVS DEI, “God’s little lamb;” PALVMBVLVS SINE FELLE, “Little dove without gall;” PARVVLVS INNOCENS, “Little innocent;” MEAE DELICIAE, “My delight;” DVLCISSIMVS CARISSIMVS, “Most sweet, most dear;” ΕΙΡΗΝΗ ΣΟΙ ΦΟΡΤΟΥΝΑΤΗ ΘΥΓΑΤΡΙ ΓΛΥΚΥΤΑΤΗ, “Peace to thee, O Fortunata, our very sweet child;” INNOCENTISSIMO PAVLO QVI · VIX · M · X · D · XIIII, “To the most innocent Paul, who lived ten months, fourteen days;” ANIMA DVLCIS INNOCVA SAPIENS ET PVLCHRA, “A sweet spirit, guileless, wise, and beautiful,” (a child aged three years); MIRAE INNOCENTIAE AC SAPIENTIAE PVERO, “A boy of wonderful innocence and intelligence,” (aged four years.) Sometimes a reference is made to the brief sojourn of the little pilgrim to life’s shores, as PARVM STETIT APVD NOS, “He stayed but a short time with us.”
The following is from Sicily: ΕΝΘΑΔΕ ΚΙΤΕ (sic) ΕΝ ΕΙΡΗΝΗ ΜΑΡΙΑ ΕΖΗϹΕΝ ΕΤΗ ΜΙΚΡΟΝ ΠΡΟϹ Β (ΚΑΙ) ΕΤΕΛΕΙΩΘΗ, “Here lies Mary in peace: she lived a little more than two years (and) finished her course.” Of another it is said, that she died INTER MANVS PARENTVM, “In the arms of her parents.” In an epitaph at Naples is the exquisite utterance of a sorrowing heart: IN SOLIS TV MIHI TVRBA LOCIS, “In lonely places thou art crowds to me.” Generally, however, the grief of the parents is
speechless, and we read merely, PARENTES FECERVNT FILIAE, “The parents made (this tomb) for their child,” or perhaps, MATER INCOMPARABILI FILIAE PECIT, “The mother made this for her incomparable daughter.”
Sometimes the praise of the deceased is more elaborate, as in the following, which is probably of late date; DALMATIO FILIO DVLCISSIMO TOTIVS INGENIOSITATIS AC SAPIENTIAE PVERO QVEM PLENIS SEPTEM ANNIS PERFRVI PATRI INFELICI NON LICVIT QVI STVDENS LITTERAS GRAECAS NON · MONSTRATAS SIBI LATINAS—“To Dalmatius, a very sweet son, of the utmost genius and wisdom, whose unhappy father was not permitted to enjoy him for seven full years, who, while studying the Greek language, acquired Latin without being taught.”[753]
Sometimes a natural expression of sorrow occurs, as PARENTES DOLENTES, “The parents grieving;” PATER INFELIX, “The unhappy father;” CONTRA VOTVM, “Regretfully;” PARENTES MISERI FVNEBRIS ACERVITATE (sic) PERCVSSI TITVLVM ERIGI IVSSERVNT, “The wretched parents, smitten by the bitterness of her death, commanded this tablet to be set up,” (A. D. 464;) EREPTA EX OCVLIS GENITORIS, “Snatched from the eyes of her parent;” QVIS NON DOLVIT AETATI TVAE PIASQVE LACRIMAS FVDIT IN TE SPES FVTVRA EXPECTABATVR PER TE PER TE GLORIA PERENNIS CELERINE FILI, FIDELIS QVIESCIS IN PACE QVI VIXIT ANN. I. M. VIII—“Who did not grieve for thy (immature) age and pour affectionate tears? In thee was future hope. Through thee, through thee, O son Celerinus, perennial glory was expected. Faithful one, thou restest in peace, who lived one year eight months,” (A. D. 381).
In the following, of later date, the expressions of grief are more elaborate and artificial, and indicate the
influence of pagan thought and diction, especially in the last line:
QVOD DVLCES NATI QVOD CARA PIGNORA PRAESTANT