Expert: Maria - 11/23/2004

Question
OK, I want to get a tatoo of a latin phrase that looks like ancient roman writing. I have a bunch of pictures of stone writings from rome as references and i have already compiled a list of phrases that i might use. Im confused though because i dont know what the text should look like exactly and when i try to type in words that are on the references into latin translation dictionaries i get nothing.   so i guess what im asking is one can you translate this phrase to english:

cornelivs-lvcivs-scipic-barbatvs-cnaivod (if it means anything)

or

m-agrippa-l-f-cos-tertivm-fecit (on the parthenon i think?)

is that a different form of latin or something? i dont know why there are single letters and such when all the phrases that i have found never have just single letters or jumbled letters.

they always follow something like this:
Crudelius est quam mori semper timere mortem - It is more cruel to always fear death than to die. (Seneca)

which seems very different
thank you very much if you can help explain anything to me

also i asked another expert a few days ago and they couldnt answer, if you dont know the answer could you recommend someone who might?  thanks again

Answer
Hi,

First of all, I must tell you that both the Latin inscriptions “cornelivs-lvcivs-scipio-barbatvs-cnaivod” and  “m-agrippa-l-f-cos-tertivm-fecit” have nothing to do with a Latin phrase you could use as a tattoo.

So, here's  their explanation and meaning.

-“cornelivs-lvcivs-scipio-barbatvs-cnaivod”(in capital letters CORNELIVS·LVCIVS·SCIPIO·BARBATVS·GNAIVOD ) is the first line of an old Latin epitaph written on the sarcophagus (now in the Vatican Museums ) of Cornelius Lucius Scipio Barbatus, who was one of the Roman consuls in 298 BC and led the Roman army to victory against the Etruscans near Volaterrae (today Volterra, Italy).

This first line means literally:
“Cornelius Lucius Scipio Barbatus, son of Gnaeus…”.
The inscription continues of course listing merits, deeds and offices of this Roman consul.


-As for “m-agrippa-l-f-cos-tertivm-fecit” (in capital letters M.AGRIPPA. L.F. COS. TERTIVM. FECIT),  it is the inscription which we read still today  on the architrave of the Pantheon, Rome, Italy (not Parthenon, which is at Athens, Greece), the Roman temple that was begun in 27 BC by Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa and completed in the mid-20s.

This Latin inscription which contains some abbreviations must be completed like this::

“Marcus Agrippa Lucii Filius Consul Tertium Fecit.
It means literally:
“Marcus Agrippa, son of Lucius, Consul for the third time, built ”
Please note that:
M. stands for ‘Marcus ‘
AGRIPPA was Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa(63-12 BC),statesman, great general and son-in-law of the first Roman Emperor Augustus.
L stands for ‘Lucii ‘(of Lucius)
F stands for ‘filius ‘(son)
COS stands for ‘consul', the highest annually elected magistracy of the Roman Republic.
TERTIVM  means literally 'three times'(for the third time )
FECIT= (built this temple)

To sum up, these inscriptions are absolutely unfit to a tattoo, to wich could be fit Seneca ‘s sentence “Crudelius est quam mori semper timere mortem” ( It is more cruel to always fear death than to die).

Best regards
Maria