Mosaic of a satyr and nymph from The House of the Faun, the home of
wealthy Pompeian aristocrats.
Most people associate Pompeii with the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79
AD, an event which killed over 16,000 people and “froze” the surrounding area
in ash, leaving an entire city nearly perfectly preserved for posterity. One of
Pompeii’s more endearing qualities is its preservation of the less respectable
(but more recognizable) aspects of humanity and that is its graffiti. Here are
some more of its finest, or at
least well written pieces, and maybe that’s the most important thing of all to
show how little we have changed or perhaps ever will.
(Bar of Astylus and Pardalus): Lovers are like bees in that
they live a honeyed life
(Bar of Athictus; right of the door): I screwed the barmaid
(House of Caecilius Iucundus): Whoever loves, let him
flourish. Let him perish who knows not love. Let him perish twice
over whoever forbids love.
(barracks of the Julian-Claudian gladiators; column in the
peristyle): Celadus the Thracian gladiator is the delight of all the girls
(vico degli Scienziati): Cruel Lalagus, why do you not love me?
(Wood-Working Shop of Potitus): What a lot of tricks you use to
deceive, innkeeper. You sell water but drink unmixed wine
(atrium of a House of the Large Brothel): Blondie has taught me
to hate dark-haired girls. I shall hate them, if I can, but I wouldn’t
mind loving them. Pompeian Venus Fisica wrote this.
(atrium of the House of Pinarius): If anyone does not believe
in Venus, they should gaze at my girl friend
(vicolo del Panattiere, House of the Vibii, Merchants):
Atimetus got me pregnant
(vicolo del Panattiere, House of the Vibii, Merchants): Figulus
loves Idaia
(Bar of Hedone (or Colepius) on the Street of the Augustales;
on the corner toward the lupinare): Hedone says, “You can get a drink here for
only one coin. You can drink better wine for two coins. You can
drink Falernian for four coins.”
(House of Caprasius Primus): I don’t want to sell my husband,
not for all the gold in the world
(Vico d’ Eumachia, small room of a possible brothel): Gaius
Valerius Venustus, soldier of the 1st praetorian cohort, in the century of
Rufus, screwer of women
(Vico d’ Eumachia, small room of a possible brothel): Vibius
Restitutus slept here alone and missed his darling Urbana
(corridor in the theater): Methe, slave of Cominia, from
Atella, loves Chrestus. May Pompeian Venus be dear to both of them and
may they always live in harmony.
(above a bench outside the Marine Gate): If anyone sits here,
let him read this first of all: if anyone wants a screw, he should look for
Attice; she costs 4 sestertii.
(in the basilica): No young buck is complete until he has
fallen in love
(in the basilica): Chie, I hope your hemorrhoids rub together
so much that they hurt worse than when they every have before!
(in the basilica): Let everyone one in love come and see. I
want to break Venus’ ribs with clubs and cripple the goddess’ loins. If
she can strike through my soft chest, then why can’t I smash her head with a
club?
(in the basilica): Phileros is a eunuch!
(in the basilica): If you are able, but not willing, why do you
put off our joy and kindle hope and tell me always to come back tomorrow.
So, force me to die since you force me to live without you. Your gift will
be to stop torturing me. Certainly, hope returns to the lover what it has
once snatched away.
(in the basilica): Take hold of your servant girl whenever you
want to; it’s your right
(in the basilica): Love dictates to me as I write and Cupid
shows me the way, but may I die if god should wish me to go on without you
(House of the Centenary; in the atrium): My lusty son, with how
many women have you had sexual relations?
(triclinium of a house): Restitutus has deceived many girls.
Nuceria Necropolis (on a tomb): Greetings to Primigenia of
Nuceria. I would wish to become a signet ring for no more than an hour,
so that I might give you kisses dispatched with your signature.
Herculaneum (bar/inn joined to the maritime baths): Two friends
were here. While they were, they had bad service in every way from a guy
named Epaphroditus. They threw him out and spent 105 and half sestertii
most agreeably on whores.
Herculaneum (bar/inn joined to the maritime baths): Apelles Mus
and his brother Dexter each pleasurably had sex with two girls twice.
Sourced; BC
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