The DUENOS Inscription is one of the earliest known Old Latin texts, dating from circa the 6th century BC. It was found by Heinrich Dressel in 1880 on a vase on the Quirinal Hill in Rome. It is difficult to translate, as there are very few spaces and some letters are hard to distinguish, particularly since they are in Old Latin.

Below is a transcription and stepped-interpretation of the text as far as possible. For each line is given:

a. the direct transcription

b. direct transcription with possible macrons and word breaks

c. a speculative interpretation in Classical Latin

d. an English translation of that interpretation.

Line 1:

a. IOVESATDEIVOSQOIMEDMITATNEITEDENDOCOSMISVIRCOSIED

b. iouesāt deiuōs qoi mēd mitāt, nei tēd endō cosmis vircō siēd

c. Iurat deos qui me mittit, ni in te (=erga te) comis virgo sit

d. The person who sends(?) me prays to the gods, if the girl is not kind towards you

Line 2:

a. ASTEDNOISIOPETOITESIAIPACARIVOIS

b. as(t) tēd noisi o(p)petoit esiāi pācā riuois

Line 3:

a. DVENOSMEDFECEDEN MANOMEINOMDVENOINEMEDMALOSTATOD

b. duenos mēd fēced en mānōm einom duenōi nē mēd malo(s) statōd

c. Bonus me fecit inmanom einom bono, ne me malus (tollito, clepito)

d. A good man made me ?? for the purpose of good, evil shall not take me.

"Duenos" is an older form of Latin bene, "good", just as bellum (war) is from Old Latin duellum.

The Præneste fibula was once thought to be the earliest surviving evidence of Latin and to date to the 7th century BC, but is now believed by most scholars to have been a well-informed hoax.

References

• "Die DUENOS-Inschrift": transcription and interpretation of the Duenos inscription (in German).
• Larissa Bonfante, "Etruscan Life and Afterlife: A Handbook of Etruscan Studies", Wayne State University Press, Detroit, 1986

Duenos-Inschrift