Caratacus stone Poem by Frances Presley

‘failure is not an option'



I

leans sideways
at an awkward angle
this is not the way to strain

gradual ceding
call it quits
double or quits

my double trouble
character gouged
smooth mouthed

leaning tower
kept leaning
lean times

monitored always
identify me with N
for nepus


C
A
R

Ā
A
C

I



chipped off
the block
pasted back
with pale pink gum


E
P
U
S





24 June 2007



II



‘The stone is so remote from railways, and the ways of Latinists, that it has hardly ever been seen by an epigraphist'

It is impossible to clearly show the inscription by means of an untouched photograph. So that the sizes and shapes of the letters, and the spacing of the inscription, can be readily seen, they have been outlined at the expense of naturalness

CARĀACI or Caratacus - Welsh national hero of early Roman days, taken in chains to Rome, where, according to Roman historians, he was given his liberty because they were impressed by his fearless bearing

NEPUS = Nepos (Romano-British reading) Sister's son, descendent, kinsman, son, grandson, nephew

One of the pieces was distinctly inscribed with and exactly fitted the fracture immediately preceding the EPVS. The N was cut reversed - a not uncommon error even nowadays

It is to a local hillman, unversed in archaeology, we must turn for the key to the re-discovery of the missing , for its jealous protection during many months, and for its fixing to the inscription in the exact position and with commendable skill

Carat - represents the passive participle of the verb, which is in Welsh car-u, to love





from Alfred Vowles ‘The history of the Caratacus stone' (1939)