Inscription on the sarcophagus of Publius Cornelius Scipio, son of Scipio Africanus

Copy.
CIL VI 1288. Rome, Tomb of the ScipiosPhoto by Ilya Shurygin

Inscription on the sarcophagus of Publius Cornelius Scipio, son of Scipio Africanus.

Copy.
CIL VI 1288.

Rome, Tomb of the Scipios.

Origin:

A copy installed in the Tomb of the Scipios. The original is exibited in the Vatican Museums.

Description:

Quei apice insigne Dial[is fl]aminis gesistei / mors perfec[it] tua ut essent omnia / brevia honos fama virtusque / gloria atque ingenium quibus sei / in longa licuiset tibe utier vita / facile facteis superases gloriam / maiorum qua re lubens te in gremiu / Scipio recipit terra Publi / prognatum Publio Corneli
(CIL 06, 1288)

For you who wore the distinctive cap of a Flamen Dialis, Death cut everything short — honour, fame and virtue, glory and intellectual ability. If you had been granted a long life in which to use these advantages, you would have far surpassed the glory of your ancestors by your achievements. Therefore Earth gladly takes you in her arms, Scipio — Publius Cornelius, son of Publius. (transl. by K. M. Moir)

Medium height of letters: upper line — 3,5 cm; the rest lines — 4-5 cm.

QUEI∙APICE INSIGNE∙DIAL[IS FL]AMINIS∙GESISTEI
MORS∙PERFE[CIT] TUA∙UT∙ESSENT∙OMNIA
BREVIA∙HONOS∙FAMA∙VIRTUSQUE
GLORIA∙ATQUE∙INGENIUM∙QUIBUS SEI
IN∙LONGA∙LICU[I]SET∙TIBE UTIER VITA
FACILE∙FACTEIS SUPERASES∙GLORIAM
MAIORUM QUA∙RE∙LUBENS∙TE∙IN GREMIU
SCIPIO RECIP[I]T∙TERRA∙PUBLI
PROGNATUM∙PUBLIO∙CORNELI

Literature:

Moir K. M. The Epitaph of Publius Scipio // The Classical Quarterly. New Series. Vol. 36. No. 1. 1986. P. 264—266.
Tatum W. J. The Epitaph of Publius Scipio reconsidered // The Classical Quarterly. New Series. Vol. 38. No. 1. 1988. P. 253—258.
Moir K. M. The Epitaph of Publius Scipio: a Reply // The Classical Quarterly. New Series. Vol. 38. No. 1. 1988. P. 258—259.

Credits:

THE GALLERY OF ANCIENT ART

Keywords: epigraphia epigraphy inscription iscrizione epigrafia epigraphik epigrafik inschrift épigraphie roman romano romana romani römisch römische romaine gravestone funerary inscriptions epitaph in pietra tombale epitaffio grabstein-inschrift de pierre épitaphe via appia antica tomb of the scipios hypogeum hypogaeum sepulcrum scipionum sepolcro degli scipioni tufa sarcophagus sarkophag sarcofago publius cornelius scipio g489 son africanus c quei apice insigne dialis flaminis gesistei mors perfecit tua ut essent omnia brevia honos fama virtusque gloria atque ingenium quibus sei longa licuiset tibe utier vita facile facteis superases gloriam maiorum qua re lubens te gremiu recipit terra publi prognatum publio corneli cil vi 1288 ils 4

History of Ancient Rome