aboii t afoo tin diameter- It was tranfported from Caruifile, or
Caifote: Perhaps it wffs the bafe o f an imperial ftatue, or denoted
the dedication o f fome temple, or Bafiiick. The number
XXIII might caufe it to be taken for a miliary column placed on
the road fide.
V. A R T I F I C I
B V S.i M I N E R
B A B V L L I A
SEX. F. MA X I
A, V. S.
Arttjicilus Minervis Bahullia Sexti Filia Maxima Votum Jolvit,
I had read this infcriptioo the firft time with the eyes o f a mine-
ralogift, and my interpretation • was, ridiculous enough. The
ilone is like the bafe o f a ftatue. It.is votive, as every one fees
by the two letters V, S. There was more than one Minerva
among the devout ancients, as there was alfo more than one
Juno. Spon gives us one in which we read IVNONIBUS
SACRUM, &c.
VI. S.E I . I V t 1 ( A G A
T N O P I . E P H E B V.
... A N . V I I
T e , ^ e r r a . opT e s T or
L E V I T E R . S U P E R . OS S A
Q U I E S C A S . E T T E N E
R A E . A E T A T I . N E . G R A
V I S. E S S E , V E L I S .
T h is
[ p i p i
This ftone was found among the ancient ruins o f OJerc, under
grdund. It is o f the'good "times* ,-janti1 valuable. The V inftead
o f an O in the word EPHF.BV may be;Rif error, o f the engraver:
but it perhaps denotes,thefgenUivVof .EjfcjEiii, iprqncunced. after
the Greek manner, EpySoz.
VII. C. L. V C R E T I O
SEX. F . A. IX. H. S.
C A I P I U I A T E / S E C V N D
Caio Lucfetio Sexti Filio AnndrumYS. Heic ■ Sito Caj F ili a. te
Jecunder. It is obfervable for the unufual prayer.
VIII. V E N E R I A E
;c n ; f . p r i m -a e
C R I S l ’ VS H I L A
R I. S V L P . F E C I T .
The fepulchral infcription o f Vkherid is indeed o f no importance,
and the following fragment is no better: but we ought
not, on that account, to deny praife to him, who took the.trpu-
ble to preferve them. It happens frequently, nay almoft
always, that the habitude o f preferving from deftrutfion the
things o f little value, faves thofe o f the greateft importance,
which other wife would perifti, i f left to barbarifm and ignorance.
jX , , S I V S, O P I .
. . C. A E D I L . R
X.