The Curse of Reffley Society
The obelisk is inscribed on all four sides, one of them containing a warning to whoever shall deface the site, a warning the vandals may regret ignoring!
1st side:
GENIIS LOCI
BACCHO. VENERIQ
SACRVM
FONTEM. HVNC FELICITATIS
LAETITAE. LYMPHAS
D.D.D. D.D.
V. SS. LL. M
D. R. Q.
Which translates as:
The spirit of the place. This spring of good fortune sacred to the Gods of Wine and Love was dedicated by...
2nd Side:
Pondus curanum
Sui iste relinquere velles,
Deliciarum te
Quo, sedes duceret, ires
Hoc opus, hoc studium
Parvi porperemus et ampli
Si Veneri volumus
Si Baccho vivere cari
Which translates as:
Should you wish to leave behind the burden of anxious thoughts, you would go whither the seat of delight led you.
This task, this pursuit, let us ensue both poor and rich, If we desire to live dear to the Goddess of Love and the God of Wine.
3rd Side:
Liberalitatis jussu
Pulchrior e ruinis resurgit
COLUMNA REFFLENSIS
Illustriss feriis hic
Publice sacratus
VIII. CAL IVL
A.M. I00DCCLVI.
Auspice Phoebo
Which translates as:
By the command of the Liberality, more comely from it's ruins rises again the COLUMN of REFFLEY, here publicly dedicated on a famous holiday 24th June AD 1756
4th side: (the curse)
Quisquis hoc
Sustulerit aut jusserit
untimus suorum
moriatur!
Which means:
Whosoever shall remove this or bid it's removal, let him die the last of his race.