Saturnian (poetry) - The Saturnian in Non-Latin Italic

The Saturnian in Non-Latin Italic

Despite the obscurity of the principles of Saturnian versification in Latin, scholars have nonetheless attempted to extend analysis to other languages of ancient Italy related to Latin.

(7) Faliscan (two nearly identical inscriptions on cups from Civita Castellana, 4th century BC)

FOIED•VINO•(PI)PAFO•CRA•CAREFO

In Latin orthography:

foiiēd uīnom (pi)pafō. crā(s) carēfō.

– – – – (||) ∪ (∪) – || – ∪ – x (Quantitative)

´ ∪ ´ ∪ (||) ´ (∪) ∪ || ´ ∪ ´ ∪ (Accentual)

'Today, I shall drink wine. Tomorrow, I shall go without.'

(8) Oscan (one of several similar inscriptions in Etruscoid script on vessels from Teano, 3rd century BC)

minis:beriis:anei:upsatuh:sent:tiianei*

* Sabellian inscriptional texts in native orthography are conventionally transcribed in bold-face minuscule, and those in the Latin script italicized.

In Latin orthography:

Minis Beris ā(n)nei opsātō sent Teānei.

(scansion of first three words uncertain) || – – – – || ∪ – x (Quantitative)

´ ∪ ´ ∪ ´ ∪ || ∪ – ∪ – || ∪ – ∪ (Accentual)

' (these) were made at Teanum in Minius Berius' (workshop?).' (meaning of anei uncertain)

(9) Umbrian (inscription on a bronze plate from Plestia, 4th century BC)

cupras matres pletinas sacrụ **

** In epigraphy, graphemes transcribed with an underdot are of uncertain reading, and restorations are enclosed in square brackets.

In Latin orthography:

Cuprās Mātris Plestīnās sacrum esum.

∪ – – – || – – – || ∪ ∪ ∪ x (Quantitative)

´ ∪ ´ ∪ || ∪ ´ ∪ || ´ ∪ ´ ∪ (Accentual)

'I am a sacred object of Mother Cupra from Plestia.' (Cupra was a Sabine goddess)

(10) Paelignian (final verse in an inscription on a stone from Corfinium, 1st century BC)

lifar dida uus deti hanustu herentas

In Latin orthography:

Līfar dida(t) uūs deti hanustō herentās.

– – ∪ – || – (scansion of deti uncertain) || ∪ – – ∪ – x (Quantitative)

´ ∪ ´ ∪ || ´ ´ ∪ || ∪ ´ ∪ ∪ ´ ∪ (Accentual)

'May Liber grant you ... (good?) will ....' (meanings of deti and hanustu unknown)