Ep´itaph

(Gr. epi , upon, and taphos , tomb), an inscription upon a tomb or monument in honour or memory of the dead. Epitaphs were in use both among the Greeks and Romans. The Greeks distinguished by epitaphs only their illustrious men. Among the Romans they became a family institution, and private names were regularly recorded upon tombstones. The same practice has generally prevailed in Christian countries. On Christian tombstones epitaphs usually give brief facts of the deceased's life, sometimes also the pious hopes of survivors in reference to the resurrection or other doctrines of the Christian faith, . Many so-called epitaphs are mere witty jeux d'esprit , which might be described as epigrams, and which were never intended seriously for monumental inscriptions. Dr. Johnson and William Words worth wrote e ays on epitaphs.—Cf. Andrews, Curious Epitaphs .