Most of them were of that elaborate character which is well known to all readers of the inscriptions from the catacombs as that of Pope Damasus,—­for this Pope [A.D. 366-385] had devoted himself to putting up new inscriptions over celebrated graves, and had used a peculiar and sharply cut letter, easy to be distinguished.  It was known that he had put new inscriptions over the tombs of the popes buried in the Cemetery of St. Callixtus.  After most patient examination, De Rossi succeeded in finding and putting together the inscriptions of four of these early popes, and, with Cuvier-like sagacity, he reconstructed, out of a hundred and twelve separate, minute, and scattered pieces, the metrical inscription in which Damasus expressed his desire to be buried with them, but his fear of vexing their sacred ashes.[O]

[Footnote O:  In another part of the catacombs the remainder of the stone that had been set over the grave of Cornelius was found.  It fitted precisely the piece first found by De Rossi.  The letters upon it were CORN EP.  The whole inscription then read, “Cornelius Martyr, Ep[iscopus.]” It is rare that a bit of broken stone paves the way to such discoveries.  But it must be a man of genius who walks over the pavement.  Cardinal Wiseman has given an imperfect account of these discoveries in his diverting novel, Fabiola.]

There could no longer be any doubt; this was the Chapel of the Popes, and that of St. Cecilia must be near by.  Proceeding with the excavations, a door leading into a neighboring crypt was opened.  The crypt was filled with earth and debris, which appeared to have fallen into it through a luminare, now choked up with the growth and accumulated rubbish of centuries.  In order to remove the mass of earth with least risk of injury to the walls of the chamber, it was determined to take it out through the luminare from above.  As the work advanced, there were discovered on the wall of the luminare itself paintings of the figures of three men, with a name inscribed at the side of each,—­Policamus, Sebastianus, and Cyrinus.  These names inspired fresh zeal, for they were those of saints who were mentioned in one or more of the itineraries as having been buried in the same chapel with St. Cecilia.  As the chapel was cleared, a large arcosolium was found, and near it a painting of a youthful woman, richly attired, adorned with necklaces and bracelets, and the dress altogether such as might befit a bride.  Below, on the same wall, was a figure of a pope in his robes, with the name “S[=e][=s] Urbanus” painted at the side:  and close to this figure, a large head of the Saviour, of the Byzantine type, with a glory in the form of a Greek cross.  The character of the paintings showed that they were of comparatively late date, probably not earlier than the sixth century, and obviously executed at a time when the chapel was frequented by worshippers, and before the traditional knowledge of the exact site of St. Cecilia’s sepulchre had been lost.