The Duenos inscription, as recorded by Heinrich Dressel. Heinrich Dressel ( June 16 1845 — July 17 1920) was a German archaeologist.

The Duenos Inscription is one of the earliest known Old Latin texts, dating from the early 6th century BCE. Old Latin (also called Early Latin or Archaic Latin) refers to the Latin language in the period before the age of Classical Latin; that is all It is inscribed on the sides of a kernos, in this case a trio of small globular vases adjoined by three clay struts. It was found by Heinrich Dressel in 1880 on the Quirinal Hill in Rome. Heinrich Dressel ( June 16 1845 — July 17 1920) was a German archaeologist. The Quirinal Hill (Latin Collis Quirinalis) is one of the Seven Hills of Rome, at the north-east of the city center Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2 The kernos was held at the Staatliche Museen in Berlin (inventory no. Museum Island (Museumsinsel in Berlin, Germany is the name of the northern half of the Spreeinsel, an island in the Spree river in the Berlin is the capital city and one of sixteen states of Germany. 30894,3), prior to the reunification of Germany and the reorganization of the national museums in that city. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe.

The inscription is written right to left in three phrases, without spaces to separate words. It is difficult to translate, as some letters are hard to distinguish, particularly since they are in Old Latin. Old Latin (also called Early Latin or Archaic Latin) refers to the Latin language in the period before the age of Classical Latin; that is all The absence of spaces causes additional difficulty in assigning the letters to the respective words.

Translations

There have been many proposed translations advanced by scholars since the discovery of the kernos; Arthur E. Gordon in 1983 estimated their number as "over fifty, no two in full agreement". Due to the lack of a large body of Latin literature, and the method by which Romans abbreviated their inscriptions, scholars have not been able to produce a singular translation that has been accepted by historians as accurate. Epigraphy (ἐπιγραφολογία from Greek ἐπιγραφή — "inscription" is the study of inscriptions or epigraphs engraved

Below is the transcription and one of many possible interpretations:

a. the direct transcription

b. direct transcription with possible macrons and word breaks

c. A macron, from Greek el μακρόv ( makrón) meaning "long" is a Diacritic ¯ placed over or under a Vowel which was originally a speculative interpretation and translation into Classical Latin

d. Classical Latin is the form of the Latin language used by the ancient Romans in what is usually regarded as "classical" Latin literature. an English translation of that transcription, interpretation and translation.

Line 1:

a. IOVESATDEIVOSQOIMEDMITATNEITEDENDOCOSMISVIRCOSIED

b. iouesāt deivos qoi mēd mitāt, nei tēd endō cosmis vircō siēd

c. Iurat deos qui me mittit, ni in te (= erga te) comis virgo sit

d. The person who sends you to me prays to the gods, if the girl is not kind towards you

Line 2:

a. ASTEDNOISIOPETOITESIAIPACARIVOIS

b. as(t) tēd noisi o(p)petoit esiāi pācā riuois

c. at te (. . . ) paca rivis

d. without you (. . . ) calm with [these] rivers

Line 3:

a. DVENOSMEDFECEDEN MANOMEINOMDVENOINEMEDMALOSTATOD

b. duenos mēd fēced en mānōm einom duenōi nē mēd malo(s) statōd

c. Bonus me fecit in manom einom bono, ne me malus (tollito, clepito)

d. A good man made me ?? for the purpose of good, evil shall not take me.

A coherent rendering

An interpretation set out by Warmington and Eichner, renders the complete translation as follows, though not with certainty:

1. It is sworn with the Gods, whence I'm issued:

If a maiden does not smile at you,

2. nor is strongly attracted to you,

then soothe her with this fragrance!

3. Someone good has filled me for someone good and well-mannered,

and not shall I be obtained by someone bad. ^[1]

Notes

"Duenos" is an older form of Latin translating to bonus, "good", just as bellum (war) is from Old Latin, duellum. Some scholars posit Duenos as a proper name, instead of merely an adjective.

The Praenestine fibula was once thought to be the earliest surviving evidence of Latin and to date to the 7th century BCE, but is now believed by most scholars to have been a well-informed hoax. The Praeneste fibula or Præneste fibula (the "brooch of Palestrina " is a golden brooch that was once thought to be the earliest surviving specimen

References

• (German) "Die DUENOS-Inschrift": transcription and interpretation of the Duenos inscription
• Larissa Bonfante, "Etruscan Life and Afterlife: A Handbook of Etruscan Studies", Wayne State University Press, Detroit, 1986
• Arthur E. Gordon, Illustrated Introduction to Latin Epigraphy. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1983.
• Vine, Brent. A Note on the Duenos Inscription. Retrieved on 2006-09-20. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 451 - The Battle of Chalons takes place in North Eastern France.