63 Colloquial and Li.. - Ganino.com

110 paolo poccetti
these expressions often stand outside the verse structure (Conso 1996: 300),
showing that they were considered an external framework. This practice
sets metrical funerary inscriptions apart from more literary poetry such as
that cited in examples (21) and(22), in which the greeting and farewell
formulae are necessarily integrated into the verse structure.
3 pragmatic and metalinguistic functions
In addition to the roles we have already examined, expressions of greeting
and farewell have a metalinguistic function of marking the beginning or
end of an interaction; this role applies equally to oral and to written
communication. As we have seen, some sepulchral inscriptions reproduce
conversational patterns by using vale addressed to the deceased to conclude
a text. Other epitaphs contain greetings and/or farewells addressed by the
deceased to the reader, and in these vale can be replaced by abi ‘go away!’.
This farewell literally expresses an invitation to wayfarer to continue on his
way but functionally points out that the text has come to an end:
(28) have. numquid vis? vale.
Greetings. Do you want anything further? Farewell!
(CIL vi 25092.5)
(29) hospes, quod deico paullum est, asta ac pellege . . . dixi. abei.
(CIL i2 1211.8 = ILLRP 973)
Friend,Ihaveonlyalittletosay,standhereandreadit...Ihavespoken.
Depart.
In these two texts the imperatives vale and abi are functionally equivalent
in the sense of conveying ‘I have nothing else to tell you’. This function
could also be considered a colloquial one, as farewell formulae have this
function in live conversation as well.
More common in Latin funerary inscriptions is the use of greeting and
farewell formulae to engage in a sort of conversational interaction between
the reader and the deceased, with a reciprocal exchange of politeness. The
reader by reading the inscription receives greetings from the deceased (or
sometimes the tombstone) speaking in the first person, and at the same
time by pronouncing the written words aloud (as usual in ancient reading
practice) he or she greets the deceased in turn:
(30) have et vale, quae optas eveniant tibi et tuis. (CIL vi 23685 = CLE 64)
Hail and farewell, and may what you wish befall you and yours.
(31) Primitiva have! et tu quisquis es vale. (CIL v 1939 = CLE 1585)
Hail, Primitiva! And to you, whoever you are, farewell.