Cornélius Lúcius Scípio Barbátus,
      Gnáivo (patre) prognátus, fortis vír sapiénsque,
      Quoius fórma vírtuti paríssuma fuit,
      Consúl, Censor, Aédilis, qúi fuit apúd vos:
      Taurásiam, Cesáunam, Sámnio cépit,
      Subicit omnem Lúcánaam, (cioè Lucaniam)
      Obsidésque abdúcit.
     
      The second is:
     
      Hunc únum plúrimi conséntiunt Románi
      Duonórum optumum fúisse virúm,
      Lúcium Scipiónem, fílium Barbáti.
      Consúl, Censor, Aédilis, híc fuit apúd vos.
      Hic cépit Córsicam, Alériamque úrbemDédit tempestátibus aédem mérito.
     
      I have softened the rude spelling, and have even abstained from marking that the final s in prognatus, quoius, and the final m in Taurasiam, Cesaunam, Aleriam, optumum, and omnem, was not pronounced. The short i in Scipio, consentiunt, fuit, fuisse, is suppressed, so that Scipio for instance is a disyllable; a kind of suppression of which we find still more remarkable instances in Plautus. In the inscription of Barbatus, v.2, patre after Gnaivo is beyond doubt an interpolation: and in that on his son, v.6, it is to be observed that the last syllable [4455]of Corsicam is not cut off.) These epitaphs present a peculiarity which characterizes all popular poetry, and is strikingly conspicuous above all in that of modern Greece. Whole lines and thoughts become elements of the poetical language, just like single words: they pass from older pieces in general circulation into new compositions; and, even where the poet is not equal to a great subject, give them a poetical colouring and keeping. So Cicero read on the tomb of Calatinus: hunc plurimae consentiunt gentes populi primarium fuisse virum: (not.