Carmina

Catullus

Catullus, Gaius Valerius. The Carmina of Caius Valerius Catullus. Burton, Sir Richard Francis, translator. London, Printed for the Translators, 1894.

  1. In speech past master and in fair pleasantries.
  2. Of hendecasyllabics hundreds three
  3. Therefore expect thou, or return forthright
  4. Linens whose loss affects me not for worth
  5. But as mementoes of a comrade mine.
  6. For napkins Saetaban from Ebro-land
  7. Fabúllus ent me a free giftie given
  8. Also Veránius: these perforce I love
  9. E'en as my Veraniólus and Fabúllus.
  1. Thou'lt sup right well with me, Fabúllus mine,
  2. In days few-numbered an the Gods design,
  3. An great and goodly meal thou bring wi' thee
  4. Nowise forgetting damsel bright o' blee,
  5. With wine, and salty wit and laughs all-gay.
  6. An these my bonny man, thou bring, I say
  7. Thou'lt sup right well, for thy Catullus' purse
  8. Save web of spider nothing does imburse.
  9. But thou in countergift more loves shalt take
  10. Or aught of sweeter taste or fairer make:
  11. I'll give thee unguent lent my girl to scent
  12. By every Venus and all Cupids sent,
  13. Which, as thou savour, pray Gods interpose
  14. And thee, Fabúllus, make a Naught-but-nose.
  1. Did I not liefer love thee than my eyes
  2. (Winsomest Calvus!), for that gift of thine
  3. Certès I'd hate thee with Vatinian hate.
  4. Say me, how came I, or by word or deed,
  5. To cause thee plague me with so many a bard?
  6. The Gods deal many an ill to such a client,
  7. Who sent of impious wights to thee such crowd.
  8. But if (as guess I) this choice boon new-found
  9. To thee from "Commentator" Sulla come,
  10. None ill I hold it—well and welcome 'tis,
  11. For that thy labours ne'er to death be doom'd.
  12. Great Gods! What horrid booklet damnable
  13. Unto thine own Catullus thou (perdie!)
  14. Did send, that ever day by day die he
  15. In Saturnalia, first of festivals.
  16. No! No! thus shall't not pass wi' thee, sweet wag,
  17. For I at dawning day will scour the booths
  18. Of bibliopoles, Aquinii, Caesii and
  19. Suffenus, gather all their poison-trash
  20. And with such torments pay thee for thy pains.
  21. Now for the present hence, adieu! begone
  22. Thither, whence came ye, brought by luckless feet,
  23. Pests of the Century, ye pernicious Poets.
  1. An of my trifles peradventure chance
  2. You to be readers, and the hands of you
  3. Without a shudder unto us be offer'd
  4. ---
  1. To thee I trust my loves and me,