Page:Archaeologia Volume 13.djvu/348

 284 Mr. Combe's Olfervations on a quia nee fato, merita nee morte peribat, Sed mifera ante diem, fiibitoque accenfa furore. VIRG. ./EN. IV. 696. From Tertullian it appears that the Aori, or perfons who died before their time, were invoked by prayer. Invocantur quidem Aori et Bitzothanati fub illofidei argumento, quod credibile videatur eas po- tijjimum animas ad vim et injuriam facer e, quas per vim et injuriam favus et immaturus finis extorfit, quaji ad vicem offenfa. TERTULLIANUS de Anima. ad fin. The word uupog occurs in one, and, I believe, in only one an- cient infcription ; I mean in that edited among Le Antiche Ifcriziont di Palermo, p. 37. K7CT0f KCtt TjSlKpWl/ 01 StKOtOlOV 301 KOil AUpOt' Ctjfus et Tryphon, Xichadh filn mfeJices et immaturi. Bont valete. For immaturi the editor has printed negletti, which certainly does not exprefs the meaning of otupoi in that place. The nominatives in the third and fourth verfes have no verbs to which they refer, and muft in confequence be ufed abfolutely. In the fixth line the occurrence of the word -sras-og deferves no- tice, as it relates to a circumftance in the marriage ceremonies of the ancients not generally known. The hymeneal fong comprized a variety of fubjecl:s for thofe whofe office it was to fing it, and that of doing honour to the nuptial bed was no inconfiderable part of the folemnity. Scaliger, when fpeaking of this fong, obferves, " Tha- lamus ipfe interea laudatur, autjlne laude pingitur, out nuptte vejlis> aut Tffcc^oq. i. e. velum tori maritalis, cujus obtentu facra ilia pudentius peraguntur. POET. Lib. III. p. 385. Tlot$o<;, which is often ufed generally for a bridal bed, more pro- perly fignifies the curtains belonging to that bed, which were ufually 6 much