Vita Romanorum


Scrawling on Walls


The following inscription will give an impression of the divergence from normal spelling that is typical of graffiti:


quisquis ama valia; peria qui no sci amare; bis tanti peria, quisquis amare vota

instead of

quisquis amat valeat; pereat qui non scit amare; bis tanti pereat, quisquis amare vetat


Whoever loves, may he be well; may he perish who does not know how to love; may he perish twice as much whoever forbids loving”.