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XVI. At the Tomb of Epaminondas
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here died epaminondas, and was buried,
loving caphisodorus at his side
united in one grave. they fought and died
together, as they lived. here at my side
as we remember these, antinous
like these ancient lovers my beloved.
god grant we live together and we die
together, our ashes intermixed.
in mantinea on the pillar of the tomb
i leave my mark as emperor and friend
one of the immortal band of lovers
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Notes:
(This poem is out of sequence here since we have gone back to the time just after Hadrian first met Antinous.)
During his tour of the Peloponnese in the winter of 124-5 AD Hadrian visited Mantinea and while there attended the grave of Epaminondas and composed a poem in his memory. The inscription is lost along with the tomb, so I have supplied my own.
The painting is the Death of Epaminondas by Benjamin West.
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