VIBAS IN PACE ET PETE PRO NOBIS

  Mayst thou live in peace and ask for us!

Or, as in another instance,—­

  PETE PRO PARENTES TVOS
  MATRONATA MATRONA
  QVE VIXIT AN.  I. DI.  LII.

  Pray for thy parents, Matronata Matrona! 
  Who lived one year, fifty-two days.

And as we have seen how in the fourth century the desire arose of being buried near the graves of those reputed holy, so by a similar process we find this simple and affectionate petition to the dead passing into a prayer for the dead to those under whose protection it was hoped that they might be.  In the multitude of epitaphs, however, these form but a small number.  Here is one that begins with a heathen formula:—­

SOMNO HETERNALI AVRELIVS GEMELLVS QVI BIXIT AN—­ ET MESES VIII DIES XVIII MATER FILIO CARISSIMO BENAEMERENTI FECIT IN PA—­ [C]ONMANDO BASSILA INNOCENTIA GEMELLI

In Eternal Sleep.  Aurelius Gemellus, who lived —–­ years, and eight months, eighteen days.  His mother made this for her dearest well-deserving son in peace.  I commend to Basilla the innocence of Gemellus.

Basilla was one of the famous martyrs of the time of Valerian and Gallienus.

Here again is another inscription of a curious character, as interposing a saint between the dead and his Saviour.  The monogram marks its date.

  RVTA OMNIBVS SVBDITA ET ATFABI
  LIS BIBET IN NOMINE PETRI
  IN PACE

  Ruta, subject and affable to all, shall live in
  the name of Peter, in the peace of Christ.

But it would seem from other inscriptions as if the new practice of calling upon the saints were not adopted without protest.  Thus we read, in contrast to the last epitaph, this simple one:—­

  ZOSIME VIVAS IN NOMINE XTI

  O Zosimus, mayst thou live in the name of Christ!

And again, in the strongest and most direct words:—­

  SOLVS DEVS ANIMAM TVAM
  DEFENDAD ALEXANDRE

  May God alone protect thy spirit, Alexander!

One more inscription and we have done; it well closes the long list:—­

  QVI LEGERIT VIVAT IN CHRISTO

  Whoever shall read this, may he live in Christ!

As the fourth century advanced, the character of the inscriptions underwent great change.  They become less simple; they exhibit less faith, and more worldliness; superlatives abound in them; and the want of feeling displays itself in the abundance of words.

We end here our examinations of the testimony of the catacombs regarding the doctrine, the faith, and the lives of the Christians of Rome in the first three centuries.  The evidence is harmonious and complete.  It leaves no room for skepticism or doubt.  There are no contradictions in it.  From every point of view, theologic, historic, artistic, the results coincide and afford mutual support.  The construction