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end； and they brought us to the Queen of the people
who place pots upon the heads of strangers； who is a
magician having a knowledge of all things； and life
and loveliness that does not die。 And she cast eyes of
love upon thy father； Kallikrates； and would have
slain me； and taken him to husband； but he loved me
and feared her； and would not。 Then did she take us；
and lead us by terrible ways； by means of dark magic；
to where the great pit is； in the mouth of which the
old philosopher lay dead； and showed to us the rolling
Pillar of Life that dies not； whereof the voice is as
the voice of thunder； and she did stand in the flames；
and come forth unharmed； and yet more beautiful。 Then
did she swear to make thy father undying even as she
is； if he would but slay me； and give himself to her；
for me she could not slay because of the magic of my
own people that I have； and that prevailed thus far
against her。 And he held his hand before his eyes to
hide her beauty； and would not。 Then in her rage did
she smite him by her magic； and he died； but she wept
over him； and bore him thence with lamentations： and
being afraid； me she sent to the mouth of the great
river where the ships come； and I was carried far away
on the ships where I gave thee birth； and hither to
Athens I came at last after many wanderings。 Now I say
to thee； my son； Tisisthenes； seek out the woman； and
learn the secret of Life； and if thou mayest find a
way slay her； because of thy father Kallikrates； and
if thou dost fear or fail； this I say to all of thy
seed who come after thee； till at last a brave man be
found among them who shall bathe in the fire and sit
in the place of the Pharaohs。 I speak of those things；
that though they be past belief； yet I have known； and
I lie not。〃
〃May the Lord forgive her for that；〃 groaned Job； who
had been listening to this marvellous composition with
his mouth open。
As for myself； I said nothing： my first idea being
that my poor friend； being demented； had composed the
whole thing； though it scarcely seemed likely that
such a story could have been invented by anybody。 It
was too original。 To solve my doubts I took up the
potsherd and began to read the close uncial Greek
writing on it； and very good Greek of the period it
is； considering that it came from the pen of an
Egyptian born。
Besides the uncial writing on the convex side of the
sherd at the top； painted in dull red； on what had
once been the lip of the amphora； was the cartouche
already mentioned as being on the _i_ scarabaeus _i_ ；
which we had also found in the casket。 The
hieroglyphics or symbols； however； were reversed； just
as though they had been pressed on wax。 Whether this
was the cartouche of the original Kallikrates； or of
some prince or Pharaoh from whom his wife Amenartas
was descended； I am not sure； nor can I tell if it was
drawn upon the sherd at the same time that the uncial
Greek was inscribed； or； copied on more recently from
the Scarab by some other member of the family。 Nor was
this all。 At the foot of the writing； painted in the
same dull red； was the faint outline of a somewhat
rude drawing of the head and shoulders of a sphinx
wearing two feathers； symbols of majesty； which；
though common enough upon the effigies of sacred bulls
and gods； I have never before met with on a sphinx。
Also on the right…hand side of this surface of the
sherd； painted obliquely in red on the space not
covered by the uncial； and signed in blue paint； was
the following quaint inscription：
IN EARTH AND SKIE AND SEA
STRANGE THYNGES THER BE。
HOC FECIT
DOROTHEA VINCEY。
Perfectly bewildered； I turned the relic over。 It was
covered from top to bottom with notes and signatures
in Greek； Latin； and English。 The first in Uncial
Greek was by Tisisthenes； the son to whom the writing
was addressed。 It was； 〃I could not go。 Tisisthenes to
his son； Kallikrates。〃
This Kallikrates （probably； in the Greek fashion； so
named after his grandfather） evidently made some
attempt to start on the quest； for his entry； written
in very faint and almost illegible uncial； is； 〃I
ceased from my going； the gods being against me。
KaIlikrates to his son。〃
Between these two ancient writingsthe second of
which was inscribed upside down and was so faint and
worn that； had it not been for the transcript of it
executed by Vincey； I should scarcely have been able
to read it； since； owing to its having been written on
that portion of the tile which had； in the course of
ages； undergone the most handling； it was nearly
rubbed outwas the bold； modern…looking signature of
one Lionel Vincey； 〃AEtate sua 17；〃 which was written
thereon； I think； by Leo's grandfather。 To the right
of this were the initials 〃J。 B。 V。；〃 and below came a
variety of Greek signatures； in uncial and cursive
character； and what appeared to be some carelessly
executed repetitions of the sentence 〃to my son；〃
showing that the relic was religiously passed on from
generation to generation。
The next legible thing after the Greek signatures was
the word 〃ROMAE； A。U。C。；〃 showing…that the family had
now migrated to Rome。 Unfortunately； however； with the
exception of its termination （cvi） the date of their
settlement there is forever lost； for just where it
had been placed a piece of the potsherd is broken
away。
Then followed twelve Latin signatures； jotted about
here and there； wherever there was a space upon the
tile suitable to their inscription。 These signatures；
with three exceptions only； ended with the name
〃Vindex〃 or 〃the Avenger；〃 which seems to have been
adopted by the family after its migration to Rome as a
kind of equivalent to the Grecian 〃Tisisthenes；〃 which
also means an avenger。 Ultimately； as might be
expected； this Latin cognomen of Vindex was
transformed first into De Vincey； and then into the
plain； modern Vincey。 It is very curious to observe
how the idea of revenge； inspired by an Egyptian
before the time of Christ； is thus； as it were；
embalmed in an English family name。
A few of the Roman names inscribed upon the sherd I
have actually since found mentioned in history and
other records。 They were； if I remember right；
MVSSIVS。 VINDEX
SEX。 VARIVS。 MARVLLVS
C。 FVFIDIVS。 C。 F。 VINDEX
and
LABERIA POMPEIANA。 CONIVX。 MACRINI。 VINDICIS
the last being； of course； the name of a Roman lady。
The following list； however； comprises all the Latin
names upon。 the sherd：
C。 CAECILIVS VINDEX
M。 AIMILIVS VINDEX
SEX。 VARIVS。 MARVLLVS
Q。 SOSIVS PRISCVS SENECIO VINDEX
L。 VALERIVS COMINIVS VINDEX
SEX。 OTACILIVS。 M。 F。
L ATTIVS。 VINDEX
MVSSIVS VINDEX
C。 FVFIDIVS。 C。 F。 VINDEX
LICINIVS FAVSTVS
LAVERIA POMPEIANA CONIVX MACRINI VINDICIS
MANILIA LVCILLA CONIVX MARVLLI VINDICIS
After the Roman names there is evidently a gap of very
many centuries。 Nobody will ever know now what was the
history of the relic during those dark ages； or how it
came to have been preserved in the family。 My poor
friend Vincey had； it will be remembered； told me that
his Roman ancestors finally settled in Lombardy； and；
when Charlemagne invaded it； returned with him across
the Alps； and made their home in Brittany； whence they
crossed to England in the reign of Edward the
Confessor。 How he knew this I am not aware； for there
is no reference to Lombardy or Charlemagne upon the
tile； though； as will presently be seen； there is a
reference to Brittany。 To continue： the next entries
on the sherd； if I may except a long splash either of
blood or red coloring matter of some sort； consist of
two crosses drawn in red pigment； and probably
representing Crusaders' swords； and a rather neat
monogram （〃D。 V。〃） in scarlet and blue； perhaps
executed by that same Dorothea Vincey who wrote； or
rather painted； the doggerel couplet。 To the left of
this； scribed in faint blue； were the initials A。V。；
and after them a date； 1300。
Then came what was perhaps as curious an entry as
anything upon this extraordinary relic of the past。 It
is executed in black…letter； written over…the crosses
or Crusaders' swords； and dated fourteen hundred and
forty…five。 As the best plan will be to allow it to
speak for itself； I here give the black…letter
facsimile； together with the original Latin without
the contractions； from which it will be seen that the
writer was a fair medieval Latinist。 Also we
discovered what is still more curious； an English
version of the black…letter Latin。 This； also written
in black…letter； we found inscribed on a second
parchment that was in the coffer； apparently somewhat
older in date than that on which was inscribed the
mediaeval Latin translation of the uncial Greek。
Expanded Version of the Black…Letter Inscription。
〃ISTA reliquia est valde misticum et myrificum opus；
quod majores mei ex Armorica； scilicet Britannia
Minore； secum convehebant； et quidam sanctus clericus
semper patri meo in manu ferebat quod penitus illud
destrueret； affirmans quod esset ab ipso Sathana
conflatum pre