Reading Latin Epitaphs

John Parker

Description

This compact book reproduces fifty-two memorials in Latin taken from churches situated largely in the West Country.  Each memorial is accompanied by a translation and by notes on the grammar. The book is aimed at all who would like to be able to read Latin epitaphs in churches, and whose knowledge of the language may be sketchy.

The introduction explains the conventions involved in lettering, abbreviations, Latinized personal names, and stock phrases.  It is followed by a very brief Latin grammar and notes on Roman numerals and dates.   At the back of the book there is a word list containing all those words found in the inscriptions with numbered references, plus a selection of words which are commonly found in inscriptions generally, though not in those printed here.

By combining these resources in one book, the author equips the reader with the tools to tackle other epitaphs beyond the pages of this book and further afield.

Every attempt is made to help the reader understand the context in which each inscription was composed. For instance it is stressed that the composers of such epitaphs were skilled Latin scholars, and that there are very few errors to be seen.  Errors attributable to the stonemasons or sign-writers are noted and corrected.

Sujets

• Social History
• HISTORY
• Histoire
• Cornualles
• Latín
• History of the British Isles
• South West England
• Romance
• Cornwall
• Devon
• Latin

Informations

• Publié par: University of Exeter Press
• Date de parution: 02 mars 2015
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780859899413
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

Tis compact handbook is aimed at all who
would like to be able to read Latin epitaphs in
churches and elsewhere, but whose knowledge
of the language may be sketchy.
It reproduces ffy-two church memorials in
Latin. Each memorial is accompanied by a
translation and by notes on the grammar.
Every attempt is made to help the reader
understand the context in which each
inscription was composed, and to equip the
reader with the tools and confdence to tackle
other epitaphs beyond the pages of this book
and further afeld.
with illustrations
Parker, Reading Latin Epigraphs 2012 cover.indd 1 02/08/2012 14:49:22
READING LATIN EPITAPHS

This book is aimed at all who would like to be able to read Latin
epitaphs in churches and elsewhere, but whose knowledge of the
language may be sketchy.
The introduction explains the conventions involved in lettering,
abbreviations, Latinized personal names, and stock phrases. It
is followed by a very brief Latin grammar and notes on Roman
numerals and dates. At the back of the book there is a
wordlist containing all those words found in the inscriptions, with
numbered references, plus a selection of words which are
commonly found in inscriptions elsewhere.

From the reviews of the 2008 edition:
‘Each epitaph is a mini-biography captured in a work of art.
So it is worth learning how to read them. You will not fnd
a better way of doing so than this book. The author John
Parker has a genuine talent for teaching this difcult subject.’
Michelle Hockley, Ancestors Magazine, July 2009
‘. . . teaches you how to read the epitaphs that marked the
deaths, and lives, of our ancestors. . . . The book is written
for you to work through from beginning to end, but I found
you can also slip it into your pocket and take it with you to a
church for instant decoding.’
Sarah Williams, Who Do You Think You Are?, February 2009
John Parker is a retired teacher. He is also a contributor to Ad Familiares, the
journal of ‘Friends of the Classics’, which aims to disseminate classics to the
wider population.
Parker, Reading Latin Epigraphs 2012.indd 1 02/08/2012 15:45:56Parker, Reading Latin Epigraphs 2012.indd 2 02/08/2012 15:45:56READING LATIN EPITAPHS
A Handbook for Beginners
with illustrations
NEW EDITION
John Parker
Parker, Reading Latin Epigraphs 2012.indd 3 02/08/2012 15:45:56First published by Cressar Publications, 1999
New edition published by The Exeter Press, 2008
Reissued, with illustrations, 2012
The Exeter Press Ltd
Reed Hall, Streatham Drive
Exeter EX4 4QR
UK
www.exeterpress.co.uk
© John H.D. Parker 2008, 2012
The right of John H.D. Parker to be identifed as author of this
work has been asserted by him in accordance with
the Copyright, Designs and Patents Acts 1988.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available
from the British Library.
ISBN 978 1 905816 05 7
New material typeset by Carnegie Book Production, Lancaster
Printed in Great Britain by Booksprint
Parker, Reading Latin Epigraphs 2012.indd 4 02/08/2012 15:45:56CONTENTS
Introduction 1
Acknowledgements7
A Brief Latin Grammar9
Dates22
THE 52 EPITAPHS
1. Westminster Abbey 27
2. Ofwell 28
3. St Thomas, Exeter 29
4. Mamhead 31
5. Manaton 32
6. Staverton 34
7. Teigngrace 36
8. Ottery St Mary 37
9. St Martin’s, Exeter 38
10. St Saviour’s, Dartmouth 39
1 1 . T h o r v e r to n 4 1
1 2 . M o r c h a r d B i s h o p 4 2
13. St Saviour’s, Dartmouth 44
14. St Olave’s, Exeter 45
1 5 . E x e t e r C a t h ed ra l 4 5
Parker, Reading Latin Epigraphs 2012.indd 5 02/08/2012 15:45:56 16. St Martin’s, Exeter 46
1 7 . C o l y to n 4 7
18. St Mary Arches, Exeter 48
1 9 . E x e t e r C a t h ed ra l 4 9
20 . S i db u r y 5 0
2 1 . T o t n e s 5 1
2 2 . A x m o u t h 5 2
2 3 . D u n s f o r d 5 3
2 4 . S a l c o m b e R e g i s 5 4
25. St John, Exeter 55
2 6 . S h ob ro ok e 5 6
2 7 . O t t e r to n 5 8
28. Ottery St Mary 59
2 9 . P o l t i m o re 6 0
3 0 . E x e t e r C a t h ed ra l 6 2
3 1 . E x e t e r C a t h ed ra l 6 3
32. St Margaret’s, Topsham 64
3 3 . A x m i n s te r 6 5
3 4 . T a v i s to c k 6 6
3 5 . W i dw o r t h y 6 7
3 6 . S i d m o u t h 6 8
3 7 . K e n to n 6 9
3 8 . M a d r o n 7 0
3 9 . A l p h i n g to n 7 2
4 0 . B a t h A b b e y 7 3
4 1 . L i t t l e h a m 7 5
Parker, Reading Latin Epigraphs 2012.indd 6 02/08/2012 15:45:56 42. St John, Exeter 77
4 3 . C l y s t H o n i to n 7 8
4 4 . R o c k b e a r e 7 9
4 5 . W i m b o r n e M i n s t e r 8 1
46. Clyst St George 82
4 7 . E x e t e r C a t h ed ra l 8 3
48. St Petrock’s, Exeter 84
49. St Petrock’s, Exeter 86
5 0 . M a d r o n 8 8
5 1 . C r ed i to n 9 0
5 2 . G i t t i s h a m 9 2
The word-list explained 95
Latin-English word-list99
Some initials & abbreviations131
Parker, Reading Latin Epigraphs 2012.indd 7 02/08/2012 15:45:56Parker, Reading Latin Epigraphs 2012.indd 8 02/08/2012 15:45:561. Epitaph 5, Manaton: William Carwithen
Great pains were taken to present this memorial in an elegant
style, with exact centring and a dot in between words. Note the
chi-rho symbol at the head, between the A and Ω. The motto
on the scroll at the foot, “Hic vos non vobis”, means “Thus do ye
(labour) but not for yourselves”.
Parker, Reading Latin Epigraphs 2012.indd 9 02/08/2012 15:45:562. Epitaph 7, Teigngrace: Joseph Challis
Note how the nouns with one exception begin with a capital
letter, a practice which still holds in German, but which died
out in English at around the end of the eighteenth century. The
stonemason would have adhered faithfully to the draft which was
given him by the composer of the epitaph. The design is plain,
the handiwork is unsophisticated, but the message is clear.
Parker, Reading Latin Epigraphs 2012.indd 10 02/08/2012 15:45:573. Epitaph 9, St Martin’s, Exeter: Winifred Butler
Many memorials show the heads of cherubs but here we have a
pair of cherubs complete and in their full glory supporting the
family’s coat of arms. The whole monument exudes the dignity
appropriate to the high birth of its subject, Winifred, daughter
of Sir Richard Prideaux.
Parker, Reading Latin Epigraphs 2012.indd 11 02/08/2012 15:45:574. Epitaph 11, Thorverton: Roger Tuckfeld
The gilded frame and the gold lettering indicate a family
insulated from penury, but not from personal grief. Note the
use of the circumfex  to mark the long “a” of the ablative.
Parker, Reading Latin Epigraphs 2012.indd 12 02/08/2012 15:45:575. Epitaph 22, Axmouth: William Serle
Very few memorials in the West Country are carved with such
a marvellous profusion of fourishes and curlicues as this one
is. Slate lends itself to this degree of accuracy in carving but it
would appear that no other masons locally chose to be so forid
in their work.
Parker, Reading Latin Epigraphs 2012.indd 13 02/08/2012 15:45:576. Epitaph 24, Salcombe Regis: Alice Rogerson
A plain but elegantly laid-out slab, no doubt erected at his own
expense by I.L. Gidoin.
Parker, Reading Latin Epigraphs 2012.indd 14 02/08/2012 15:45:57