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Inscriptions: Altar with epitaph of Sextus Iulius Felicissimus

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Identification

Reference as: MPL02160
Title Altar with epitaph of Sextus Iulius Felicissimus
Trismegistos-No. 213326

Object

Provenance and Location

Find Place Aquae Sextiae
Find Context Aix-en-Provence, cloister of the monastery of the Minimes, 1839.
Latitude 0.0
Longitude 0.0
Current Location Aix-en-Provence, Musée Granet
Inventory number FA 225
Current Location Details
Vicinity

Object Details

Object Type altar
Material limestone
State of Preservation incomplete
Dimensions

width: 62.0 cm

height: 101.0 cm

depth: 57.0 cm

Letter Size in cm (min) 1.5
Letter Size in cm (max) 3.9
Execution Technique chiselled
Religion Pagan

Decoration

Decoration and Iconography Front: inscription within moulded frame. Right side: ascia between ll. 22 and 23. Left side: engraving of an archipendulum.
Decoration Tags
  • Object / Ascia
  • Architecture / frame
  • Object / Archipendulum

Verse Layouts

  • Prose Verse PresenceVerse interrupted by prose
    Prose Verse Distinction
    • Yes, by bigger lettering in prose
    • Yes, by different layout
    • Yes, by vacat
    Layout Types (Prose)
    • Centered
    • Left aligned
    Layout Types (Verse)
    • Centered
    • 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)
  • Dactylic hexameter
Rhythmisation Quantitative scheme

Inscription & Translations

Front:

PAVLOSISTEGRADVMIVVEN͡IS
PIEQVAESOVIATORVTMEAPER hedera
TITVLVMNORISICINVIDAFATAVNO
MINVSQVAMBISDENOSEGOVIXIPERANNOS
5INTEGERINNOCVVSSEMPERPIAMENTE hedera
PROBATVSQVIDOCILILVSVIVVENVM hedera
BENEDOCTVSHARENISPVLCHERETILLEFVI
VARIISCIRCVNDATVSARMISSAEPEFERASLVSI
MEDICVSTAMENISQVOQVEVIXIETCOMES
10VRSARISCOMESHISQVIVICTIMASACRIS
CAEDERESAEPESOLENTETQVINONOTEMPOR.
VERISFLORIBVSINTEXTISREFOVENT hedera
SIMVLACRADEORVMNOMENSIQVAERIS
TITVLVSTIBIAVERAFATETVR:
15SEXIVLFELICISSIMVS hedera      vacat
SEXIVLIVSFELIX
ALVMNOINCOMPAR.[]
FELIC[]
Right side:

TVQVICVMQVELEGISTITVLVM
20FERALESEPVLTI
QVIFVERIMQVAENOTAMIH
QVAEGLORIADISCE ascia
BISDENOSVIXIDEPLETIS
MENSIBVSANNOS
25[]VIRTVTEPOTENSETPVLCHE
FLOREIVVENTAE
[]QVIPRAEFERRERPOPVLI
LAVDANTISAMORE
[]ITMEADAMNADOLES?FATI
30ONVINCITVRORDO
RESHOMINVMSICSVNTVT
[]APOMA
[]ACADVNTAVT
[]EGVNTVR
Front:

Paulo siste gradum, iuven͡is
pie, quaeso, viator, ut mea per ((hedera))
titulum nori sic invida fata. Uno
minus quam bis denos ego vixi per annos,
5integer, innocuus, semper pia mente ((hedera))
probatus. Qui docili lusu iuvenum ((hedera))
bene doctus harenis, Pulcher et ille fui,
variis circundatus armis. Saepe feras lusi,
medicus tamen is quoque vixi et comes
10ursaris, comes his qui victima<m> sacris
caedere saepe solent et qui nono temporẹ
veris floribus intextis refovent ((hedera))
simulacra deorum. Nomen si quaeris,
titulus tibi a vera fatetur:
15Sex(tus) Iul(ius) Felicissimus. ((hedera)) ( vac. )
Sex(tus) Iulius Felix
alumno incomparạ[bili et]
Felicịṭạṣ f̣[r(atri)?].
Right side:

Tu quicumque legis titulum
20ferale<m> sepulti,
qui fuerim, quae nota mihị,
quae gloria, disce. ((ascia))
Bis denos vixi depletis
mensibus annos
25[e]ṭ virtute potens et pulcheṛ
flore iuventae,
[e]ṭ qui praeferrer populi
laudantis amore.
[Q]ụit mea damna doles? Fati
30ṇon vincitur ordo.
Res hominum sic sunt ut
[citre?]a poma;
[aut matur]a cadunt, aut
[immatura l]eguntur.
Front:

Paulo siste gradum, iuven͡is pie, quaeso, viator,
ut mea per ((hedera)) titulum nori sic invida fata.
Uno minus quam bis denos ego vixi per annos,
integer, innocuus, semper pia mente ((hedera)) probatus.
Qui docili lusu iuvenum ((hedera)) bene doctus harenis,
Pulcher et ille fui, variis circundatus armis.
Saepe feras lusi, medicus tamen is quoque vixi
et comes ursaris, comes his qui victima<m> sacris
caedere saepe solent et qui nono temporẹ veris
floribus intextis refovent ((hedera)) simulacra deorum.
Nomen si quaeris, titulus tibi a vera fatetur:
Sex(tus) Iul(ius) Felicissimus. ((hedera)) ( vac. ) Sex(tus) Iulius Felix alumno incomparạ[bili et] Felicịṭạṣ f̣[r(atri)?].
Right side:

Tu quicumque legis titulum ferale<m> sepulti,
qui fuerim, quae nota mihị, quae gloria, disce. ((ascia))
Bis denos vixi depletis mensibus annos
[e]ṭ virtute potens et pulcheṛ flore iuventae,
[e]ṭ qui praeferrer populi laudantis amore.
[Q]ụit mea damna doles? Fati ṇon vincitur ordo.
Res hominum sic sunt ut [citre?]a poma;
[aut matur]a cadunt, aut [immatura l]eguntur.
Apparatus

l.29 reg., orig. Quit

Text follows ILN 03. Picture checked by Spalla 2025.
l. 10: victima{s}, Rémy 1984.
l. 17: incompara[bili et?], Rémy 1984.
l. 18: Felicitas f[ilio?], CLE; Felicitas T[----], Rémy 1984; f[r(atri?)] or f[il(io)?], ILN, Rémy and Faure 2010.
l. 27: [ut] qui, Rémy 1984.
ll. 31-32: [miti]a poma, Rémy 1984; [Fata] hominum sic sunt ut [pendentia] poma, Carabia 1986; [vitae] hominum sic sunt ut [vari]a poma (les vies des hommes sont comme les divers fruits), Pena 2003.

Main Translation

Translation Front:
Halt your steps briefly, humane young man on your journey, so that in this way you may learn my spiteful death from my epitaph. I lived one less than twenty years, upright, innocent, always approved for my sense of duty. I was well instructed in the skilful sport of young men in the arena, and was that "Good-looker" girt with a variety of weapons. I often made sport of wild animals, but I also lived as their veterinarian and a pal of the bear-baiters, of those who regularly kill victims for sacrifices and who in the fresh spring-time revive the images of the gods with twined flowers. If you ask my name, the inscription tells you accurately: Sextus Julius Felicissimus.

Sextus Julius Felix to his unmatched foster-son and Felicitas to her brother (?).

Right side:
You, whoever you be, who read the funeral epitaph of the man here buried, learn who I was, what my ambitions were, what my glory. I lived for twenty years with some months subtracted, strong in my courage, handsome in the flower of my youth, winning the preference of the populace, which affectionately praised me. Why do you grieve over what I have lost? The orderly progression of destiny is invincible. The hopes of men are like citron fruits; they either fall when ripe or are picked when unripe.
Citation E. Courtney

Other Translations

Prosopographical Information

  • NameSextus Iulius Felicissimus
    GenderMale
    Age RangeSubadult (13–20) [expression: Non-canonical, precision: high]
    Legal StatusRoman citizen
    ProfessionOther profession
    RoleDedicatee
  • NameSextus Iulius Felix
    GenderMale
    Legal StatusRoman citizen
    RoleDedicator
  • NameFelicitas
    GenderFemale
    Legal StatusRoman citizen
    RoleDedicator

Further Information

Comment

Dating proposed by B. Rémy and P. Faure 2010. The identity of Felicitas remains dubious but, due to her name, it is more probable that she was Felicissimus' sister, rather than his mother (ILN 03, J. Gascou).

Squeeze

Have Squeeze? no

Dating

Date (From) 251 AD
Date (To) 350 AD
Date (Criteria)
  • language
  • palaeography

Bibliography

Images

  • Front of the altar of Sextus Iulius Felicissimus.

    Front of the altar of Sextus Iulius Felicissimus.

    (c) J. Gascou 1995

  • Right side of the altar of Sextus Iulius Felicissimus.

    Right side of the altar of Sextus Iulius Felicissimus.

    (c) J. Gascou 1995

  • Left side of the altar of Sextus Iulius Felicissimus.

    Left side of the altar of Sextus Iulius Felicissimus.

    (c) J. Gascou 1995

Editing History

Created 2025-06-11, by Fabio Spalla
Work Status Confirmed
Import Notice
Revisions
  1. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-05-21 07:44
  2. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-05-21 09:46
  3. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-05-21 10:15
  4. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-05-21 10:15
  5. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-05-21 11:57
  6. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-05-21 14:17
  7. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-05-21 14:26
  8. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-05-21 15:36
  9. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-05-21 15:52
  10. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-05-21 16:11
  11. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-05-21 16:24
  12. by Chiara Cenati
    at 2025-06-09 11:24
  13. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-06-10 13:13
  14. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-06-10 13:25
  15. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-06-10 13:26
  16. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-06-10 13:27
  17. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-06-10 13:27
  18. by Chiara Cenati
    at 2025-06-11 08:49
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