Viewing the inscription from the palaeographical and philological point of view, we find a considerable corruption of the language and orthography, -indicating that the confusion of n,, v, ɛ, o, into the single sound of Iota, had already become common. So, also, o and are confounded, as by the modern Greeks. The form of the A MA approaches the current Greek letters; then is used for the, and vice versa,t the v for o, and the supersedes often the w.

As to the meaning of the inscription, it is the following:

"LET US STAND WELL, LET US STAND WITH REVERENCE, LET US STAND WITH FEAR, LET US ATTEND TO THE SACRED OBLATION, IN PEACE TO OFFER TO GOD. THE MERCY, THE PEACE, THE SACRIFICE OF PRAISE, AND THe love of GOD AND FATHER, and the GRACE OF OUR LORD AND GOD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST, BE UPON US. AMEN. IN THE FIRST YEAR OF HADRIAN, PATRIARCH OF THE CITY. REMEMBER, O LORD, THY SERVANT JOHN, THE LEAST PRESBYTER OF THE DWELLING OF HOLY AGATHA. AMEN. REMEMBER, O LORD, THY SERVANT ANDREW MACHERA. SAINT AGATHA, HOLY MOTHER OF GOD. REMEMBER, O LORD, THY SERVANT AND OUR SHEPHERD, HADRIAN, THE PATRIARCH. REMEMBER, O Lord, thy servant John, the SINNER, THE PRESBYTER."

* χαρης for χαρις.

† πυμενος for ποιμενος.

Η ιρίνη, τι, ι, αγαπι, ετι, for ειρηνη, τη, ἤ, αγαπη, ετεί.

Η στομεν, καλος, ευλαβος, for στωμεν, καλως, ευλαβως ; but likewise θεωτωκος for Θεοτόκος, προςχομεν for προςεχωμεν.