A 1st or 2nd century Roman epitaph for a pet dog named Margarita (“Pearl”), written from the point of view of the deceased:

[G]ALLIA · ME · GENVIT · NOMEN · MIHI · DIVITIS · VNDAE
CONCHA · DEDIT · FORMAE · NOMINIS · APTVS · HONOS
DOCTA · PER · INCERTAS · AUDAX · DISCVRRERE · SILVAS
COLLIBVS · HIRSVTAS · ATQVE · AGITARE · FERAS
NON · GR · AVIBVS · VINCLIS · VNQVAM · CONSVETA · TENERI
VERBERA · NEC · NI · VEO · CORPORE · SAEVA · PATI
MOLLI · N · AMQVESINV · DOMINI · DOMINAEQUE · IACEBAM
ET · NORAM · IN · STRATO · LASSA · CVBARE · TORO
ET · PLVS · QVAM · LICVIT · MVTO · CANIS · ORE · LOQVEBAR
NVLLI · LATRATVS · PERTIMVEREMEOS
SED · IAM · FATA · SVBIL · PARTV · IACTA · SINISTRO
QVAM · NVNC · SVB · PARVO · MARMORE · TERRA · TEG[I]ET

MARGARITA

Gaul gave me my birth and the pearl-oyster from the seas full of
treasure my name, an honour fitting to my beauty.
I was trained to run boldly through strange forests
and to hunt out furry wild beasts in the hills
never accustomed to be held by heavy chains
nor endure cruel beatings on my snow-white body.
I used to lie on the soft lap of my master and mistress
and knew to go to bed when tired on my spread mattress
and I did not speak more than allowed as a dog, given a silent mouth
No-one was scared by my barking
but now I have been overcome by death from an ill-fated birth
and earth has covered me beneath this small piece of marble.

Margarita (‘Pearl’)

(source)