LIBER VII · CAPUT 54
BURIAL
Latine · Mayhoff 1906
Ipsum cremare apud Romanos non fuit veteris instituti: terra condebantur. at postquam longinquis bellis obrutos erui cognovere, tune institutum, et tamen multae familiae priscos servavere ritus, sicut in Cornelia nemo ante Sullam dictatorem traditur crematus, idque voluisse veritum talionem eruto C. Mari cadavere. [sepultus vero intellegaturquoquo modo conditus, humatus vero humo contectus].
English · Bostock & Riley 1855–57
The burning of the body after death, among the Romans, is not a very ancient usage; for formerly, they interred it. After it had been ascertained, however, in the foreign wars, that bodies which had been buried were sometimes disinterred, the custom of burning them was adopted. Many families, however, still observed the ancient rites, as, for example, the Cornelian family, no member of which had his body burnt before Sylla, the Dictator; who directed this to be done, because, having previously disinterred the dead body of Caius Marius, he was afraid that others might retaliate on his own. The term “sepultus” applies to any mode whatever of disposing of the dead body; while, on the other hand, the word “humatus” is applicable solely when it is deposited in the earth.