Suggestions for a New Interpretation of Two Sexual Graffiti from Pompeii: CIL 4.1410 and 5187

Abstract

The article offers a new interpretation of two well-known and much-discussed sexual graffiti from Pompeii: CIL 4.1410 and CIL 4.5187. As the textual variants and emendations considered so far provide little assistance, a context-based approach is applied in both cases, leading to hypothetical inferences. The first graffito alludes to the symbolism of the sea of love and Venus (navigatio amoris), conveying the passionate experiences of a pair of lovers. The second graffito may be read as a peculiarly phrased sexual boast, for which some literary parallels can be found in Martial’s satirical epigrams.