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Inscriptions: Epitaph of the slave child Bebryx

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Identification

Reference as: MPL01138
Title Epitaph of the slave child Bebryx
Trismegistos-No. 252446

Object

Provenance and Location

Find Place Capua
Find Context Caserta, San Clemente, private collection of F. Daniele, end of the 18th century.
Latitude 0.0
Longitude 0.0
Current Location Napoli, Museo Archeologico Nazionale
Inventory number 4367
Current Location Details depot
Vicinity

Object Details

Object Type slab
Material marble
State of Preservation fragmentary (adjoining fragments)
Dimensions

width: 49.5 cm

height: 29.0 cm

depth: 6.0 cm

Letter Size in cm (min) 1.3
Letter Size in cm (max) 4.5
Execution Technique chiselled
Religion Pagan

Decoration

Decoration and Iconography
Decoration Tags

Verse Layouts

  • Prose Verse PresencePraescriptum + carmen
    Prose Verse Distinction
    • Yes, by bigger lettering in prose
    • Yes, by different layout
    Layout Types (Prose)
    • Centered
    Layout Types (Verse)
    • Left aligned
    Scriptio Continua in verse partno
    Abbreviations in verse partyes
    Verse Line CorrespondenceYes
    Graphic Signs and Spaces for Easier Carmen Reading
    • To mark a pentameter in an elegiac couplet (indentation)
    • To separate words - Interpunction

Text

Function funerary inscription
Language(s)
  • Latin
Verse Type(s)
  • Elegiac couplet
Rhythmisation Quantitative scheme

Inscription & Translations


[]BRYXPVER

[]ALAISINLONGVMETLVCTVDEFLETAPARENTVM
NEPREMENAMTENERICORPORISOSSATEGIS
OSSAPARENSMACVLATLACRVMISCINEREMQFATIG«AT»
5FLETIBVSHEVBEBRYXSICMISERANDEIACES!
NONDVMSEPTENISBISTEPERDVXERATAETAS
FORMOSVMCATVDETINETISTEROGVS
DELICIVMDOMIN[]PESEXPECTATAPARINTV[]
EXIGVOMTVMVLITEMPVSINARTEC[]
10EDIDICISSEPIASARTESTESAMVRA[]
ATQVEIDEMO[]

[Be]bryx puer.

[St]a lap̣is in longum et luctu defleta parentum
ne preme, nam teneri corporis ossa tegis.
Ossa parens maculat lacrumis cineremq(ue) fatig«at»
5fletibus. Heu Bebryx, sic miserande iaces!
Nondum septenis bis te perduxerat aetas,
formosum caṇtu<m> detinet iste rogus,
delicium domin[i, s]pes expectata par⸢e⸣ntu[m].
Exiguom tumuli tempus in arte c[itant].
10Edidicisse pias artes tesṭamur aṃ[ici]
atque idem o[ptamus: sit tibi terra levis].
[Be]bryx puer.

[St]a lap̣is in longum et luctu defleta parentum
ne preme, nam teneri corporis ossa tegis.
Ossa parens maculat lacrumis cineremq(ue) fatig«at»
fletibus. Heu Bebryx, sic miserande iaces!
Nondum septenis bis te perduxerat aetas,
formosum caṇtu<m> detinet iste rogus,
delicium domin[i, s]pes expectata par⸢e⸣ntu[m].
Exiguom tumuli tempus in arte c[itant].
Edidicisse pias artes tesṭamur aṃ[ici]
atque idem o[ptamus: sit tibi terra levis].
Apparatus

l.4 reg., orig. lacrumis
l.8 e
l.9 reg., orig. Exiguom

Text follows CIL 10 and CLE. Picture checked by Spalla 2025.
l. 9: c[itant] supplied by (CLE).
l. 10: am[---] in CIL 10; am[ici] (Cholodniak).
l. 11: o[ptamus: sit tibi terra levis] (CLE).

Main Translation

Translation The child Bebryx.

Stay up for long, stone, and do not fall down under the tears of these parents' mourning, for you cover the bones of a tender body. The father drops tears over these bones and never lets these ashes alone with his lamentations. Oh, Bebryx, here you lie, worthy of compassion! Yet to reach twice seven years of age, this pyre holds back your beautiful singing, delicium of your master, anxious hope of your parents. Tombs witness what little time there is when art is concerned. We bear testimony that you were learning how to behave honourably like a friend, and in that same spirit we wish you: may the earth be light upon you.
Citation Fabio Spalla

Other Translations

Prosopographical Information

  • NameBebryx
    GenderMale
    Age RangeSubadult (13–20) [expression: Non-canonical, precision: low]
    OriginUnknown
    Legal StatusSlave
    RoleDedicatee

Further Information

Comment

Dating proposed by A. De Carlo and M. Foglia in EDR005846. CIL Squeeze ID: EC0009679, Folder: q 23, Material: paper.

Squeeze

Have Squeeze? no

Dating

Date (From) 101 AD
Date (To) 200 AD
Date (Criteria)
  • palaeography
  • language
  • formulae

Bibliography

Images

Editing History

Created 2025-05-28, by Anna Pokorny
Work Status Confirmed
Import Notice Imported from Epigraphic Database Roma at 2024-07-25T10:58:57, ID there: EDR005846
Revisions
  1. by Unknown
    at 2024-07-25 10:58
  2. by Anna Pokorny
    at 2024-08-09 11:01
  3. by Anna Pokorny
    at 2025-03-31 12:41
  4. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-04-16 08:28
  5. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-04-16 08:30
  6. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-04-16 08:48
  7. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-05-19 16:21
  8. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-05-19 16:21
  9. by Chiara Cenati
    at 2025-05-28 14:08
  10. by Chiara Cenati
    at 2025-05-28 14:13
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