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Inscriptions: Funerary inscription by C. Ofillius to himself, his wife, and his son

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Identification

Reference as: MPL02063
Title Funerary inscription by C. Ofillius to himself, his wife, and his son
Trismegistos-No. 441968

Object

Provenance and Location

Find Place Narbo Martius
Find Context Part A: Narbonne, Bastions of Saint-François et Saint-Cosme, 1870. Part B: Lost 16th century manuscript.
Latitude 0.0
Longitude 0.0
Current Location Narbonne, Musée Lapidaire Lamourguier
Inventory number 205
Current Location Details
Vicinity

Object Details

Object Type block
Material limestone
State of Preservation incomplete
Dimensions

width: 59.5 cm

height: 128.0 cm

depth: 41.0 cm

Letter Size in cm (min) 3.3
Letter Size in cm (max) 6.0
Execution Technique chiselled
Religion Pagan

Decoration

Decoration and Iconography
Decoration Tags

Verse Layouts

  • Prose Verse PresencePraescriptum + carmen + subscriptum
    Prose Verse Distinction
    • Yes, by bigger lettering in prose
    • Yes, by vacat
    • Yes, by different layout
    Layout Types (Prose)
    • Centered
    Layout Types (Verse)
    • Left aligned
    Scriptio Continua in verse partno
    Abbreviations in verse partno
    Verse Line CorrespondenceNo
    Graphic Signs and Spaces for Easier Carmen Reading
    • To separate words - Interpunction

Text

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

Inscription & Translations

Part A:
.O.[]CL
PAL[]
[]IVOS[]ET
MINDIAEFPRIMA[]
5VXORIET
COFILLIOCFPROCV͡L[]
FILIOET
     vacat

ARBARAQVEMGENVITTELLV
HVNCTRADIDITV[]RVITIO
10ENIVMVTFLERET
INMERIT[]QVAESIVMEXPA[]
TOTVIT[]BINOMENADAVX[]
ET[]ITQVODPRE[]
[]LVITCIISVICIT
15[]MNECVERBASEN[]
[]AEMIANONHABVITPIGNO[]
[]AEPOTVITQVIDPROPERA[]
[]ESREQVIESTIBINOTAPAR[]
[]TITIVMHOCPOPVLO
20[]EMPERVBIQVEPATETHORA[]
[]ERVMQVEM[---]V[---]
[]OQVESENTISVMMA[---]
[---][---]

------
Part B:

[---]NECDVROIAMDOLEASOBITV

25NECTIBINECNOBISAETERNVM
VIVERECESSIT
:QVODPVERI
OCCIDIMVSFATAQVAERENDA
PVTAS
?DVMSISINVITADOLOREST
AMITTEREVITAM
DVMSIMVL
30OCCIDIMVSOMNIADESPICIAS

ORBEMSVBLEGESSIHABEAS[]VM
VIVISADORCHVM
QVIDVALET?
HICNVLLAESTDIVITISAMBITIO

[]HNS
Part A:
C̣(aius) Of̣[illi]ụṣ C(ai) l(ibertus)
Pal(atina) Ạ[eimne]ṣṭụṣ
[v]ivos [sibi] et
Mindiae Ṃ(arci) f(iliae) Prima[e]
5uxori et
C(aio) Ofillio C(ai) f(ilio) Procu͡l[o]
filio et
( vac. )

Ḅarbara quem genuit telluṣ
hunc tradidit uṛ[bi] ṣẹrvitio,
10ịṇg̣enium ut flẹc̣ṭeret
inmerit[o]. Quaesiṭum ex paṭ[re]
t p̣otuit ṣ[i]bi nomen adaux[it]
et p̣ṛẹṭịọ [obtin]ụit quod prec̣[e]
[n]ọṇ ụạluit. Ọf̣f̣ịciis vicit
15[d]ọṃịṇụm nec verbẹṛa sen[sit].
[Pr]aemia non habuit, pignoṛ[a]
[qu]ae potuit. Quid propera[s]
[h]ọṣp̣es, requies tibi nota parạ[ta]
[es]t. Ḥọṣp̣itium hoc populo
20[s]emper ubique patet horaṛụ[m]
[num]erum quem ṣụṣp̣ṛ[---]V[---]
[qu]oque senti summaṃ [---]
[---] ṣẹc̣ụṛụṃ [---]

------
Part B:

[---] nec duro iam doleas obitu
.
25Nec tibi nec nobis aeternum
vivere cessit
: quod pueri
occidimus, fata quaerenda
putas
? Dum sis in vita, dolor est
amittere Vitam
; dum simul
30occidimus omnia despicias
.
Orbem sub leges si habeas [d]um
vivis, ad Orchum
quid valet?
hic nulla est divitis ambitio
.

[H(oc) m(onumentum)] h(eredem) n(on) s(equitur)
.
Part A:
C̣(aius) Of̣[illi]ụṣ C(ai) l(ibertus) Pal(atina) Ạ[eimne]ṣṭụṣ [v]ivos [sibi] et Mindiae Ṃ(arci) f(iliae) Prima[e] uxori et C(aio) Ofillio C(ai) f(ilio) Procu͡l[o] filio et ( vac. )

Ḅarbara quem genuit telluṣ hunc tradidit uṛ[bi]
ṣẹrvitio, ịṇg̣enium ut flẹc̣ṭeret inmerit[o].
Quaesiṭum ex paṭ[re] ụt p̣otuit ṣ[i]bi nomen adaux[it]
et p̣ṛẹṭịọ [obtin]ụit quod prec̣[e n]ọṇ ụạluit.
Ọf̣f̣ịciis vicit [d]ọṃịṇụm nec verbẹṛa sen[sit].
[Pr]aemia non habuit, pignoṛ[a qu]ae potuit.
Quid propera[s h]ọṣp̣es, requies tibi nota parạ[ta es]t.
Ḥọṣp̣itium hoc populo [s]emper ubique patet
horaṛụ[m num]erum quem ṣụṣp̣ṛ[---]V[--- qu]oque senti
summaṃ [--- ] ṣẹc̣ụṛụṃ [---]
------
Part B:

[---] nec duro iam doleas obitu.
Nec tibi nec nobis aeternum vivere cessit:
quod pueri occidimus, fata quaerenda putas?
Dum sis in vita, dolor est amittere Vitam;
dum simul occidimus omnia despicias.
Orbem sub leges si habeas [d]um vivis, ad Orchum
quid valet? hic nulla est divitis ambitio.
[H(oc) m(onumentum)] h(eredem) n(on) s(equitur).
Apparatus

l.3 reg., orig. vivos
l.11 reg., orig. inmerito

Text follows Kruschwitz 2018 and 2022. Picture checked by Spalla 2025.
l. 1: A(phrod?)isius, H. Belloc 2008.
l. 2: A[rimn]estus, L. Wierschowski 2001.
l. 9: tradidit usu[s], CLE 01276.
ll. 9-11: tradi[d]it . . . . . / . . . . i]ngenium . . . . . . . . . . . [i]nmerit[o], CIL 12, 05026.
l. 11: quaesitum exem[plo?], CIL 12, 05026.
l. 18: par[a]t[a est], CIL 12, 05026; parat[as]t, CLE 01276; parat[a es]t, J. Cholodniak 1904.
ll. 21-23: horaru[m] numerum quem . . . . . . / . . . . quoque senti (?) summa . . . . . securum, CIL 12, 05026; horaru[m] numerum quem susp[ectas] quoque senti: / summa[st] securum [te cito quae faciat], CLE 01276; horarum numerum, quem suspe[ct]a[s, q]uoque senti, / summa[ne], securum [perge, viator, iter], J. Cholodniak 1904.

Main Translation

Translation Gaius Ofillius A[eimn]estus, freedman of Gaius, of the tribus Palatina, while still alive, (sc. has erected this monument) for himself and his wife Mindia Prima, daughter of Marcus, and his son Gaius Ofillius Proculus, son of Gaius, and [empty space follows].
The barbarian land that had given birth to him handed him over to the city of Rome in slavery, so that he unduly changed his character. He made every effort to enhance the status of the name given to him by his father on his own part, and at a price he obtained what he was denied at his request. He won over his master by his attentiveness, and he did not experience beatings. He did not receive any rewards, promises [sc. of rewards? or: privileges?] within his ability. Why do you rush, stranger, see, there is a place prepared for you to relax. This resting area is open to the people always and everywhere for as many hours as . . . [the remainder of the text here is too fragmentary for it to be rendered in a meaningful way; a gap follows].
. . . nor feel pained by a dire death. Neither you nor we have been granted to live forever. You believe fate is to blame, because we die as young boys? While you are still alive, to lose one’s life seems like pain; but as soon as we die, you spurn everything. If you have the entire world under control while you are alive, what difference does it make to Orcus? There is no rich people’s canvassing for favours down here. This monument does not go to the heir.
Citation P. Kruschwitz

Other Translations

Prosopographical Information

  • NameCaius Ofillius
    GenderMale
    OriginForeign
    Legal StatusFreedman / Freedwoman
    RoleDedicator
  • NameMindia Prima
    GenderFemale
    OriginUnknown
    RoleDedicatee
  • NameCaius Ofillius Proculus
    GenderMale
    OriginUnknown
    Legal StatusRoman citizen
    RoleDedicatee

Further Information

Comment

Dating proposed by O. Hirschfeld (CIL 12). A. Grenier 1959 considers Parts A and B as belonging to the same inscription. H. Belloc 2008 observes the shared style, themes, and literary references of both parts, hypothesizing three missing lines in the lacuna between them.

Squeeze

Have Squeeze? no

Dating

Date (From) 1 AD
Date (To) 100 AD
Date (Criteria)
  • names

Bibliography

Images

  • Part A (CIL 12, 05026; CLE 01276) of the funerary inscription by Caius Ofillius.

    Part A (CIL 12, 05026; CLE 01276) of the funerary inscription by Caius Ofillius.

    (c) Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum - BBAW

Editing History

Created 2025-06-06, by Fabio Spalla
Work Status Confirmed
Import Notice
Revisions
  1. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-03-14 16:56
  2. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-03-14 17:08
  3. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-03-14 17:41
  4. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-03-17 08:59
  5. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-03-17 09:14
  6. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-03-17 09:17
  7. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-03-17 09:20
  8. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-03-17 09:30
  9. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-03-17 09:53
  10. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-03-17 10:06
  11. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-03-17 10:16
  12. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-03-17 10:42
  13. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-03-17 10:49
  14. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-03-17 11:06
  15. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-03-17 12:53
  16. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-03-17 13:18
  17. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-03-17 13:21
  18. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-03-17 14:25
  19. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-03-17 14:27
  20. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-03-17 15:04
  21. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-03-17 15:09
  22. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-03-17 15:20
  23. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-03-17 15:41
  24. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-03-18 09:39
  25. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-03-18 10:04
  26. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-03-18 10:06
  27. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-03-18 11:14
  28. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-03-18 11:40
  29. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-03-18 11:46
  30. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-03-18 11:54
  31. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-03-26 16:10
  32. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-05-26 15:47
  33. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-05-26 16:43
  34. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-05-26 16:50
  35. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-05-26 16:56
  36. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-05-27 09:59
  37. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-05-27 11:22
  38. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-05-27 11:33
  39. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-05-27 11:35
  40. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-05-27 11:45
  41. by Chiara Cenati
    at 2025-06-06 11:08
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