The Pompeii Dog

About 2000 years ago, in Pompeii, in the entryway to a home, someone created a mosaic of a growling, black dog. Inscribed below it are the words “cave canem” or ‘beware of the dog’. The same words (the English translation, I mean,) adorn the front gate of my neighbour’s garden and my parents' farm gate back home. 

When I was 21 and overseas for the first time, seeing the Pompeii dog stopped me in my tracks. You see, if I remember correctly, I had just drawn up the ‘beware of the dog’ sign for my parent’s place before leaving for this trip. It’s faded now, but it once had a drawing of our own black dog, Ned. I saw the mosaic in Pompeii and thought of two things. My first thought was that we, as humans, have not changed as much as we think we have. We are still just dwellers with troublesome dogs, hoping that no one will get bitten by them. Then, I thought of the artist who created the mosaic. 2000 years ago, someone had created a sign, much more impressive, but not dissimilar to the one I had sketched up recently. 

It was a special moment for me. Standing there, exhausted, with a persistent Contiki hangover, staring at the Pompeii dog.

At the start of this year, when I moved to New Zealand, I expected to feel far away from everyone and everything I love. I moved here alone, not knowing anyone and having never been to Wellington before. I was prepared for it to be really hard and some days, it has been. But one afternoon, walking home, I saw it: another ‘beware of the dog’ sign. 

Ironically, it made me feel safe. At the end of the day, we’re all mostly looking out for each other and we’re all mostly the same. We all look to art and language to share stories and warnings and we return to them to find comfort. We always have. 

Art is how we connect with the strangers at our doorsteps.

A tattooed version of the Pompeii Dog stands at the top of my right arm now, reminding me to always beware, but always be brave and to remember that, wherever I am, there will always be good people and there will always be art.

xx Rose