Vatican Museums

Θάρσει Άσκλᾶς: οὐδεὶς ἀθάνατος “Take courage, Asclàs: no-one (is) immortal”. Here the dedicants offer to the deceased an exhortation to overcome with courage the end of earthly life, accompanied by a consolatory reflection, more human than religious: death is the common lot of all living beings. The formula “no one is immortal” also combined with verbs like “be of good cheer”, “(have) good fortune”, “do not worry” and “do not be sad” are typical above all of Greek texts commissioned by Christians, but are not limited to these: it is also found in Jewish (see the documents of the Museum’s Jewish Lapidarium) and pagan inscriptions. An example of the latter may be found in the Gallery (Wall 13,15): the dedicants, to comfort the dead, recall that not even Heracles was immortal. The text concludes with a palm branch, of uncertain decorative or symbolic value (possible victory over death).