21.05.24: Level 2; perfect tense [2]; the tense in context

Image #1: This tombstone inscription contains three perfect tense verbs, two of which will be discussed in the later posts.

D(is) M(anibus) M(arco) ACVTIO

FAVSTINO MILES CLA(ssis)

PRETORIAE MISENATI

TRIERAE CASTORAE

VIXIT AN(nis) LVI

MILITAVIT ANIS XXIII

CVRATORE* FECIT GE

NEIVM EPVLANIVM

PIVM

*cūrātor, cūrātōris [3/m]: the person who takes care or is in charge of something

____________________

To the spirits of the Underworld for Marcus Acutius

Faustinus. Soldier of the

praetorian fleet of Misenum,

of the trireme Castor.

He lived 56 years,

served 23 years. [militō, militāre, militāvī (1): to serve in the military]

Arranged by [fēcit: he made i.e. he arranged the construction of the tombstone]

Cn. Epulanius

Pius.

Notes:

[1] militavi; that is the perfect tense of the verbs looked at in the previous post i.e. the first conjugation and, like most of the 1st conjugation verbs, the stem is in -v-

mīlitō, mīlitāre, mīlitāvī [1]: serve in the military

• mīlitāvit: he served

The other two show you that, whatever the conjugation is, not all verbs have a perfect tense stem in -v-:

[2] vīvō, vīvere, vīxī [3]: live

• vīxit: he lived

[3] faciō, facere, fēcī [3-iō]: do; make; arrange

• fēcit: (here) he ‘made’ (it) i.e. arranged (for the construction of the tomb)

However, it doesn’t matter what the stem is: the endings will always be the same

fēcī: I did; I have done / made / built

fēcistī: you (sg.) did / have done etc.

fēcit: he / she / it did

fēcimus: we did

fēcistis: you (pl.) did

fēcērunt: they did

____________________

vīxī: I (have) lived

vīxistī: you (sg.) (have) lived

vīxit: he / she / it lived

vīximus: we lived

vīxistis: you (pl.) lived

vīxērunt: they lived

Roman tombstones often tell you far more than the person’s name and how long they lived.

The other interesting aspect of this tombstone is the reference to his having served with the fleet at Misenum. Pliny the Elder was commander of the fleet at Misenum when Vesuvius erupted, and Pliny the Younger makes specific reference to it in his account of the disaster.

The ship was a ‘trireme’ [trirēmis, -e: having three banks of oars]; more information on Roman ships is at:

https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0062:id=navis-harpers

It is quite unsual to find this particular example because the words on tombstones are often abbreviated whereas you see them in full on this one. If you would like to see more examples, they’re at:

https://www.ostia-antica.org/.../pres.../centumcellae-07.htm

Image #2: fecit often appears in connection with the construction of public buildings. Agrippa is best known for building the Pantheon. Although the original structure burned down, it was rebuilt by emperor Hadrian, who kept Agrippa’s original inscription on the façade of the building. 

M[ARCUS] AGRIPPA L[UCII] F[ILIUS] CO[N]S[UL] TERTIUM FECIT,

"Marcus Agrippa, son of Lucius, made [this building] when consul for the third time."