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Inscriptions: Epitaph of Optata by her parents Optatus and Nemesia

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Identification

Reference as: MPL01092
Title Epitaph of Optata by her parents Optatus and Nemesia
Trismegistos-No. 415427

Object

Provenance and Location

Find Place Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium
Find Context Church of Saint Gereon, Saint Nicholas chapel, reused in a wall.
Latitude 0.0
Longitude 0.0
Current Location Köln, Church of Saint Gereon
Inventory number
Current Location Details In situ.
Vicinity

Object Details

Object Type slab
Material limestone
State of Preservation complete
Dimensions

width: 48.0 cm

height: 48.5 cm

depth: unknown

Letter Size in cm (min) 2.2
Letter Size in cm (max) 4.0
Execution Technique chiselled
Religion Unknown

Decoration

Decoration and Iconography
Decoration Tags

Verse Layouts

  • Prose Verse PresenceCarmen
    Layout Types (Verse)
    • Left aligned
    Scriptio Continua in verse partno
    Abbreviations in verse partno
    Verse Line CorrespondenceNo

Text

Function funerary inscription
Language(s)
  • Latin
Verse Type(s)
  • Dactylic hexameter
Rhythmisation Quantitative scheme

Inscription & Translations


OPTAT͡EI[]NOMENSIGNA
TVMCARMINETRISTI
NOMENDVLCESVISETLAM
ENTABILESEMPEROPTATVS
5GENTIVRETMATERNEMESIA
⟦A⟧DEFLETINIQVAOMISE
RIFATORVMSORTEPA
RENTESPARVVLAQVISRAPTA
ESTATQVNICAH͡EVMALE
10MENSISPOSTDECIMVMNON`V´
CLAVSITPROPRAN͡TIAFATA

Optat͡e <h>i[c] nomen signa-
tum carmine tristi
nomen dulce suis et lam-
entabile semper. Optatus
5gentiur et mater Nemesia
⟦a⟧ deflet. Iniqua o mise-
ri fatorum sorte pa-
rentes parvula quis rapta
est atq(ue) unica. H͡eu male
10mensis post decimum non`u´<m>
clausit prop<e>ran͡tia fata.

Optat͡e <h>i[c] nomen signatum carmine tristi
nomen dulce suis et lamentabile semper.
Optatus gentiur et mater Nemesia ⟦a⟧ deflet.
Iniqua o miseri fatorum sorte parentes
parvula quis rapta est atq(ue) unica. H͡eu male mensis
post decimum non`u´<m> clausit prop<e>ran͡tia fata.
Apparatus

l.1 reg., orig. Optate
l.5 reg., orig. gentiur

Text follows Galsterer and Galsterer 2010. Picture checked by Spalla 2025.
l. 1: Optatio, CLE. Opta[ti], CIL.
ll. 1-2: sis na/tum, CLE; Cugusi.
l. 9: I on stone, incomplete T.
l. 10: non(us), CLE. nonu(s), CIL; Galsterer and Galsterer1975.
l. 11: prope(r)antia, CLE.

Main Translation

Translation Optata, may this name be preserved by such a sad poem, a name sweet to her loved ones and forever mournful. Her father Optatus and her mother Nemesia shed their tears. O wretched parents, for the unjust decision of fate she was taken from you, small, your only child. Alas! Her premature fate terminated her nineteenth month in misery.
Citation Fabio Spalla

Other Translations

Prosopographical Information

  • NameOptata
    GenderFemale
    Age RangeInfant (0–12) [expression: Non-canonical, precision: high]
    RoleDedicatee
  • NameOptatus
    GenderMale
    RoleDedicator
  • NameNemesia
    GenderFemale
    RoleDedicator

Further Information

Comment

Squeeze

Have Squeeze? no

Dating

Date (From) 301 AD
Date (To) 500 AD
Date (Criteria)
  • palaeography

Bibliography

Images

  • Epitaph of Optata by her parents Optatus and Nemesia.

    Epitaph of Optata by her parents Optatus and Nemesia.

    Source: EDCS-01200250 (c) Römisch-Germanisches Museum Köln

Editing History

Created 2025-11-18, by Anna Pokorny
Work Status Complete
Import Notice Imported from Epigraphische Datenbank Heidelberg at 2024-07-11T12:28:28, ID there: HD076253
Revisions
  1. by Unknown
    at 2024-07-11 12:28
  2. by Anna Pokorny
    at 2024-07-25 08:34
  3. by Anna Pokorny
    at 2025-03-31 12:27
  4. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-11-17 11:21
  5. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-11-17 11:21
  6. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-11-17 12:00
  7. by Chiara Cenati
    at 2025-11-18 11:40
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