Note 745 — Chapter III
Reading edition
Sometimes a sort of pun or play upon words occurs, as the following: HIC IACET GLYCONIS DVLCIS NOMINE ERAT ANIMA QVOQVE DVLCIOR VSQVE—“Here lies Glyconis. She was sweet by name, her disposition also was even sweeter.” HEIC EST SEPVLCHRVM PVLCRVM PVLCRAE FEMINAE—“Here is the beautiful tomb of a beautiful woman.” Much of the paronomasia is lost in translation. Another conceit is giving the name of the deceased acrostically in the initial letters of the lines, an invariable symbol of degraded taste. See De Rossi, No. 677, A. D. 432.
A few examples of Gothic names occur, as Bringa, Uviliaric, Erida, (is it Freda?) Ildebrand. In Gaul these are more striking, as Ingomir, Hagen, and the like.