The DUENOS Inscription was found on a vase on Quirinal Hill in Rome, Italy. It is inscribed with the earliest known Old Latin text, dating from circa 6th century BC. It is difficult to translate, as there are very few spaces and some letters are hard to distinguish, particularly since they are in Old Latin.

Below is a transcription and stepped-interpretation of the text as far as possible. For each line: A. the direct transcription is given B. direct transcription with likely word breaks (resisting interpretation) C. an interpretation in Classical Latin D. an English translation.

Line 1:

a. IOVESATDEIVOSQOIMEDMITATNEITEDENDOCOSMISVIRCOSIED

b. iouesāt deiuōs qoi mēd mitāt, nei tēd endō cosmis vircō siēd

c. Iurat deos qui me mittit, ni in te (=erga te) comis virgo sit

d. The person who sends(?) me swears by the gods: if the girl is not kind towards you

Line 2:

a. ASTEDNOISIOPETOITESIAIPACARIVOIS

b. as(t) tēd noisi o(p)petoit esiāi pācā riuois

Line 3:

a. DVENOSMEDFECEDEN MANOMEINOMDVENOINEMEDMALOSTATOD

b. duenos mēd fēced en mānōm einom duenōi nē mēd malo(s) statōd

c. Bonus me fecit inmanom einom bono, ne me malus (tollito, clepito)

d. A good man made me ?? for a good man, let an evil person not steal(?) me

"Duenos" is an older form of Latin bene, "good", just as bellum (war) is from Old Latin duellum.

Reference

"Die DUENOS-Inschrift" - transcription and interpretation of the Duenos inscription (in German).