Inscriptions: Altar with epitaph of the charioteer Fuscus dedicated by his supporters
Identification
| Reference as: | MPL02228 |
|---|---|
| Title | Altar with epitaph of the charioteer Fuscus dedicated by his supporters |
| Trismegistos-No. | 229486 |
Object
Provenance and Location
| Find Place | Tarraco |
|---|---|
| Find Context | First seen in the southern part of teh Rambla de San Carlos, between the monastery of Santa Clara and the amphitheatre, 16th century. Then gifted to count Stanhope and transported to Chevening, Kent, 1722. |
| Latitude | 0.0 |
| Longitude | 0.0 |
| Current Location | Chevening, Chevening House |
| Inventory number | |
| Current Location Details | |
| Vicinity |
Object Details
| Object Type | altar |
|---|---|
| Material | limestone |
| State of Preservation | fragmentary (adjoining fragments) |
| Dimensions |
width: 71.0 cm height: 168.0 cm depth: 45.0 cm |
| Letter Size in cm (min) | 1.0 |
| Letter Size in cm (max) | 2.8 |
| Execution Technique | chiselled |
| Religion | Pagan |
Decoration
| Decoration and Iconography | Altar on pedestal with moulded base and pulvinus. Above the puvlinus, remains of pediment. |
|---|---|
| Decoration Tags |
|
Verse Layouts
-
Prose Verse Presence Praescriptum + carmen + subscriptum Prose Verse Distinction - Yes, by smaller lettering in prose
- Yes, by change in lettering type
Layout Types (Prose) - Centered
Layout Types (Verse) - Centered
Scriptio Continua in verse part no Abbreviations in verse part no Verse Line Correspondence No, just uses all available space Graphic Signs and Spaces for Easier Carmen Reading - To separate verses - Vacat
Text
| Function | funerary inscription |
|---|---|
| Language(s) |
|
| Verse Type(s) |
|
| Rhythmisation | Quantitative scheme |
Inscription & Translations
FACTIONISVENETAEFVSCOSACRA
VIMVSARAMDENOSTROCERTISTV
DIOSIETBENEAMANTESVTSCI
5RENTCVNCTIMONIMENTVM
ETPIGNVSAMORISINTEGRA
FAMATIBILAVDEMCVR
SVSMERVISTICERTASTI
MVLTISNVLLVMPAVPE...MV
10ISTIINVIDIAMPASSVSSEM
PERFORTISTACVISTIPVL
CHREVIXISTIFATOMORTA
LISOBISTIQVISQVISHOMO
ESQVAERESTALEMSVBSISTE
15VIATORPERLEGESIMEMOR
ESSINOSTIQVISFVERITVIR
FORTVNAMMETVANTOMNES
DICESTAMENVNVM:FVS
CVSHABETTITVLOSMOR
20TISHABETTVMVLVM
CON
TEGITOSSALAPISBENEHABET
FORTVNAVALEBIS
TEGITOSSALAPISBENEHABET
FORTVNAVALEBIS
FVDIMVS
INSONTILACRIMASNVNCVI
NAPRECAMVRVTIACEASPLA
25CIDENEMOTVISIMILIS
INSONTILACRIMASNVNCVI
NAPRECAMVRVTIACEASPLA
25CIDENEMOTVISIMILIS
Factionis Venetae Fusco sacra-
vimus aram de nostro certi stu-
diosi et bene amantes, ut sci-
5rent cuncti monimentum
et pignus amoris. Integra
fama tibi laudem cur-
sus meruisti; certasti
multis, nullum paupeṛ ṭịmu-
10isti; invidiam passus sem-
per fortis tacuisti; pul-
chre vixisti, fato morta-
lis obisti. Quisquis homo
es, quaeres talem. Subsiste,
15viator, perlege, si memor
es, si nosti, quis fuerit vir.
Fortunam metuant omnes,
dices tamen unum: Fus-
cus habet titulos mor-
20tis, habet tumulum.
Con-
tegit ossa lapis, bene habet.
Fortuna, valebis.
tegit ossa lapis, bene habet.
Fortuna, valebis.
Fudimus
insonti lacrimas, nunc vi-
na. Precamur, ut iaceas pla-
25cide. Nemo tui similis.
insonti lacrimas, nunc vi-
na. Precamur, ut iaceas pla-
25cide. Nemo tui similis.
D(is) M(anibus).
Factionis Venetae Fusco sacravimus aram
de nostro certi studiosi et bene amantes,
ut scirent cuncti monimentum et pignus amoris.
Integra fama tibi laudem cursus meruisti;
certasti multis, nullum paupeṛ ṭịmuisti;
invidiam passus semper fortis tacuisti;
pulchre vixisti, fato mortalis obisti.
Quisquis homo es, quaeres talem. Subsiste, viator,
perlege, si memor es, si nosti, quis fuerit vir.
Fortunam metuant omnes, dices tamen unum:
Fuscus habet titulos mortis, habet tumulum.
Contegit ossa lapis, bene habet. Fortuna, valebis.
Fudimus insonti lacrimas, nunc vina. Precamur,
ut iaceas placide. Nemo tui similis.
Τοὺς σοὺς ἀγῶνας αἰὼν λαλήσει.
Apparatus
l.5 reg., orig. monimentum
l.8 reg., orig. certasti
Text follows CIL 02 (2nd ed.). Picture checked by Spalla 2025.
Main Translation
| Translation |
We, steadfast and devoted supporters, have from our own resources set up an altar-tomb for Fuscus of the Blue team, so that all might know the record and token of devotion. Your reputation is unsullied, you won fame for speed, you contended with many, though not rich you feared nobody, though you experienced envy you always bravely maintained silence, you lived a fine life, being mortal you died, but a natural death. Whatever sort of man you be, you will miss such a one as Fuscus; halt, traveller, read, if you remember and know who the man was. Let all men fear Fortune, yet you will make one remark: 'Fuscus has the epitaph and tomb that belong to death. The stone covers his bones. All is well with him. Away with you, Fortune. We poured out tears for this good man, now (we pour out) wine. We pray that you rest in peace. No-one is like you'. The ages will talk of your contests. |
|---|---|
| Citation | E. Courtney |
Other Translations
-
Von der Blauen Partei dem Fuscus wir setzten das Grabmal, — eigenes Geld! — ergeben und treu und herzliche Freunde, allen sei es bekannt, ein Denkmal, Zeugnis der Liebe. Unbescholtenen Rufs verdientest du Ruhm in der Rennbahn. Viele hast du bekämpft und — arm — doch keinen gefürchtet,
Neid erduldetest du, hast tapfer immer geschwiegen. Schön hast du immer gelebt, dich traf der Sterblichen Schicksal. Wer du auch seist, ihn suchst du umsonst. Bleib, Wanderer, stehen, lies es! Und kennst ihn und weißt du, was für ein Mann er gewesen — Fürchten das Menschenlos auch alle — einst wirst du doch sagen: Fuscus im Grabe liegt, jetzt ihn der Hügel verhüllt. Stein bedeckt sein Gebein. Ihm ist wohl. Nun Menschenlos, schweige! Tränen zollten wir ihm, dem Reinen. Nun aber Wein her! Mögest du ruhen hier sanft! Kommt ja doch keiner dir gleich. (German, H. Geist) - Hem consagrat un altar a Fusc, de l’equip blau, dels nostres recursos, afeccionats com n’erem i devots seus, per tal que tothom el reconegui com a record seu i penyora d’afecte. La fama la mantens sencera, per les teves carreres has merescut lloança, has competit amb molts, tot i sense diners, no has temut ningú, a pesar de patir enveges, sempre has callat, íntegre, has viscut honradament, però com a mortal has mort quan t’ha trobat el destí. Siguis qui siguis (que llegeixes), en buscaràs un altre com aquest. Atura’t, vianant, llegeix amb calma, si vols recordar, si vols conèixer qui era aquest home. Temi tothom Fortuna, digues només això: «Fusc té ja les lletres de la mort, té una tomba. La inscripció recull els ossos, ja està bé! Fortuna, ja pots marxar. Hem vessat llàgrimes per aquest innocent, i ara vessarem vins. Preguem que reposis plàcidament. Ningú comparable a tu!» Per sempre més es parlarà de les teves lluites (carreres). (Catalan, J. Gómez Pallarès 1998)
- ¿A los dioses Manes?. Para Fuscus del equipo de los azules, nosotros sus incondicionales admiradores y buenos amigos, hemos costeado y dedicado este ara para que todos tengan noticia de nuestro recuerdo y de nuestra prueba de cariño. Intachable es tu fama: mereciste la gloria en las carreras, con muchos te enfrentaste mas aunque menesteroso a ninguno temiste, soportaste la envidia siempre en silencio y con fortaleza, viviste con dignidad, y has fallecido porque ése es el destino de los mortales. Quienquiera que seas has de lamentar la muerte de un hombre tal. Deténte caminante y lee con atención. Si le recuerdas, si habes quién fue -¡que todos tengan temor a la Fortuna!- dirás con nosotros: Fuscus tiene una inscripción que evoca su muerte, tiene una tumba; esta piedra encierra sus restos. Bien está pues. Fortuna ¡déjale ya!. Por un hombre bueno ayer vertimos lágrimas, hoy vino. Y es que pedimos que descanses plácidamente. No hay nadie como tú. El tiempo repetirá tus brillantes actuaciones. (Spanish, A. Ceballos Hornero)
Prosopographical Information
-
Name Fuscus Gender Male Legal Status Slave Profession Other profession Role Dedicatee
Further Information
Comment
Dating proposed by Alföldy 2011. Humphrey proposes a dating to the 1st century AD. Gómez Pallarès 1998 proposes a dating to te 1st century AD, based on the possible absence of the D(is) M(anibus) formula and on the absence of formulae such as "bene merenti fecit".
Squeeze
| Have Squeeze? | no |
|---|
Dating
| Date (From) | 101 AD |
|---|---|
| Date (To) | 200 AD |
| Date (Criteria) |
|
Bibliography
- CIG 03, 06803
- CIL 02, 04315
- IG 14, 02539
- CLE 00500
- ILS 05301
- ILER 05766
- RIT 00445 (with photo, tab. 82, fig. 2)
- SEG 54, 01004
- SEG 61, 00827
- IGEP 00212 (with Spanish translation and photo, 199)
- J. Cholodniak, Carmina sepulcralia latina epigraphica, Petersburg 1904, 294-295, nr. 829. 🔗 link
- H. Geist, Römische Grabinschriften. Gesammelt und ins Deutsche übertragen von Hieronymus Geist, betreut von Gerhard Pfohl, München 1969, 134-135, nr. 350 (with German translation of ll. 2-25) 🔗 link
- E. Courtney, Musa lapidaria. A selection of Latin verse inscriptions, Atlanta 1995, 112-113, 321-322, nr. 112 (with English translation) 🔗 link
- M. De Hoz, Epigrafía griega en Hispania, Epigraphica 59 (1997), 59-60, nr. 5.4. 🔗 link
- J. Gómez Pallarès, Poesia sobre pedra: l’altar dedicat a Fusc de Tarragona (CIL II 4315, RIT 445), revisitat, Faventia 2 20 (1998), 143-151 (with Catalan translation; also on alternative dating) - AE 1998 🔗 link
- AE 1998, 00802
- C. Fernández Martínez, Poesía epigráfica latina I, Madrid 1998, 276-277, nr. 500 (Spanish translation of ll. 2-25) 🔗 link
- G. Horsmann, Die Wagenlenker der römischen Kaiserzeit, Stuttgart 1998, 16, n. 9, 19, n. 21, 22, 23, n. 33, n. 35, 24, 116, n. 96, 163, 222-223, nr. 89. 🔗 link
- I. Canós i Villena, L'epigrafia grega a Catalunya, Debrecen 2002, 126-128, nr. 145 (with Catalan translation) 🔗 link
- J. Gómez Pallarès, Poesia epigràfica llatina als països catalans. Edició i comentari, Barcelona 2002, 69-77, nr. T5 (with Catalan translation) - HEp 2002 🔗 link
- HEp 2002, 00396
- A. Ceballos Hornero, Los espectáculos en la Hispania romana. La documentación epigráfica, Vol. 2, Mérida 2004, 412-416, nr. 73 (with Spanish translation) 🔗 link
- P. Cugusi, Per un nuovo corpus dei Carmina Latina Epigraphica, Materiali e discussioni, Roma 2007, 106. 🔗 link
- G. Alföldy, Griechische Inschriften und griechische Kultur in Tarraco, Zeitschr. Pap. Ep. 178 (2011), 108-109 (with photo, 109, fig. 20; also on dating) 🔗 link
- J. Camacho, Dibujando poemas. Acerca de la transcripción de los CLE al papel. El caso de Ambrosio de Morales, Veleia 29 (2012), 198-200 (with facsimile, 198, fig. 1, and photo, 199, fig. 2) - AE 2012 🔗 link
- AE 2012, 00016
- CLEO T5 🔗 link
- EDCS-05503345 🔗 link
- HD067828 🔗 link
- HEpOl 10002 🔗 link
- MQDQ 🔗 link
- PHI 🔗 link
Images
Editing History
| Created | 2025-09-10, by Fabio Spalla |
|---|---|
| Work Status | Complete |
| Import Notice |
Revisions
-
by Fabio Spalla
at 2025-09-10 09:33 -
by Fabio Spalla
at 2025-09-10 10:14 -
by Fabio Spalla
at 2025-09-10 10:58 -
by Fabio Spalla
at 2025-09-10 12:35 -
by Fabio Spalla
at 2025-09-10 12:36 -
by Chiara Cenati
at 2025-09-10 14:35
