Duenos inscription

The Duenos Inscription is one of the earliest known Old Latin texts, dating from the early 6th century BCE. 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. The kernos was held at the Staatliche Museen in Berlin (inventory no. 30894,3), prior to the reunification of Germany and the reorganization of the national museums in that city.

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. 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. Confer the discussion.

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 speculative interpretation and translation into Classical Latin

d. 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, lest the girl be 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. DVENOSMEDFECEDENMANOMEINOMDVENOINEMEDMALOSTATOD

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 in his own?? hands for a good man, in case an evil man take me.