Note 61 — Chapter VII · JOURNEY TO THE EASTERN SHORES OF THE LAKE TCHAD. (continued 2)
Reading edition
Dr. Young has been so good as to examine these inscriptions, but has not succeeded in ascertaining their probable date. He observes, that the two principal inscriptions, Nos. 1 and 2, are clearly tributes of children to the memory of their parents. They seem, from the legal expression “discussi ratiocinio,” to be of the times of the lower empire, these words being applied in the pandect to the settlement of accounts: they each allude to the expenses of some public entertainment. The termination is remarkable for the prayer, that their parents might revisit their descendants on earth, and make them like themselves. The names seem to be altogether barbarous: the second character, like a heart, is not uncommonly found in inscriptions standing for a point.
No 1.
M. CHULLAM et * VARNYCHsan
PATER ET Mater MARCHI
NIMMIRE Et C. CURASAN
QUI EIS HAEC MEMORIAM
FECERUNT . DISCUSSIMUS
RATIOCINIO; AD
EA EROGATUM EST SUMI
praetER C . . . . . S IN
NUMMO * AEDILIS familIARES
NUMERO OVA lactiCINIA
OVINa . . . . . deCEM
ROSTRATAE . . . . . OPE
nAVIBUS E . . . . .
VISITENT Et taLES faciaNt.
No. 2 must be read nearly thus:—
M. FUDEI ET P. PHESULCUM
PATER ET MATER M. METUSANIS
QUI EIS HAEC MEMORIAM FECIT.
DISCUSSI RATIOCINIO; AD EA ERO-
GATUM EST SUMI . . . .
IN NUMMO * AEDILIS A FAMILIA
PRAETER CIBARIAS OMniBUS
FELICITER LEGAtas . VISITENT
FILIOS ET NEPOTES MEOS
ET TALES FACIANT.
No. 3.
MUNAS II ET MUMAI
filii MATRIS MNIMIRA
HAEDILEHS.
No. 4.
NHIABH JUre
JURANDO tene-
AMUR QUIriTUUM.