I am having a bit of difficulty construing this epitaph for the daughter of Minicius Fundanus. I have been working my way through Wheelock’s Latin and this text has me rather stumped. Here is what I make of it so far. I think dis manibus is the dative plural of di manes “the spirits of the dead.” Would Miniciae Marcellae…filiae be the name of the departed daughter in the genitive? Then, Fundani would also be in the genitive. So, the translation would be “To the spirits of Minicia Marcella, daughter of Fundanus.” I would be grateful for your help.
Yes that’s it, exactly. There’s a letter of Pliny’s (5.16), well worth reading, lamenting the girl’s death and its profound effect on her father (Minicius) Fundanus who had been making preparations for her wedding.
I see there’s a photo of the actual tombstone posted on pinterest. (I viewed it without joining but can’t link to it.)
Dis Manibus, conventionally abbreviated D M as a heading, as here, is regularly found on Roman tombstones, a dedication fo the Manes.of the deceased.
