The Satyricon

Regarding the age of Petronius, they have erred for a long time and much; today, I hope no one can hesitate. Niebuhr, who assigned him to the third century, had been misled by a sepulchral inscription (Orelliana collection, no. 1175) found on the Via Aurelia near Rome, which he believed was made in the reign of Alexander Severus, though I rather think it was made under Tiberius Caesar or Claudius. In that inscription I have set out that inscription in full, corrected for the errors of the stonecutter: "To the Divine Spirits of Cerellia Fortunata, a most dear wife, with whom he lived for 11 years without any complaint. M. Antonius Encolpus built this for himself and for Antonius Athenaeus, his most dear freedman, and for their freedmen and freedwomen and their descendants, except for M. Antonius Athenio, whom I forbid to have access to this monument, nor to have any passage, approach, or entry therein, nor for his remains or those of his descendants to be brought in for the sake of burial: but if anyone should do anything against this, then he who has done so must pay as a penalty to the pontiffs or to the antescolares attendants/subordinates of the Virgins [Vestal] 50,000 sestertii: because he denied me as a parent after many injuries. And to A. Laelius Apelles, a most dear client: whoever he wishes to choose as a sarcophagus for the sake of a gift, because he did not leave me in such a great disaster, whose benefits I have from him." mention is made of M. Antonius Encolpus, a plebeian, The following Greek verses are inscribed: "Do not pass by this epigram, wayfarer, but stand and listen, and having learned, move on. There is no ship in Hades, no ferryman Charon, no Aiakos the gatekeeper, no dog Kerberos; we who are dead below have all become bones and ash, and nothing else. I have spoken truly to you; go, wayfarer, so that I do not appear a prattler to you even though dead. Do not bestow on the stone ointments or garlands; it is stone. Nor kindle a fire; the expense is in vain. If you have anything, give it to me while I live, but by making ash drunk you will make mud and the dead man will not drink. For I shall be this; but you, having piled earth on these [bones], say: 'When I was not, I have become this again'." A. Laelius Apelles, I order you to have access in this monument by the command of Antonius Encolpus. Olo Lelio Apelleti: he must have passage and entry in one sarcophagus: to a best friend. the barbarity of the Latin speech in this title is no more conspicuous than in most of the sepulchers of the columbaria unearthed near Rome, in which the family and...