Carmina
Catullus
Catullus, Gaius Valerius. The Carmina of Caius Valerius Catullus. Burton, Sir Richard Francis, translator. London, Printed for the Translators, 1894.
- The Gods deal many an ill to such a client,
- Who sent of impious wights to thee such crowd.
- But if (as guess I) this choice boon new-found
- To thee from "Commentator" Sulla come,
- None ill I hold it—well and welcome 'tis,
- For that thy labours ne'er to death be doom'd.
- Great Gods! What horrid booklet damnable
- Unto thine own Catullus thou (perdie!)
- Did send, that ever day by day die he
- In Saturnalia, first of festivals.
- No! No! thus shall't not pass wi' thee, sweet wag,
- For I at dawning day will scour the booths
- Of bibliopoles, Aquinii, Caesii and
- Suffenus, gather all their poison-trash
- And with such torments pay thee for thy pains.
- Now for the present hence, adieu! begone
- Thither, whence came ye, brought by luckless feet,
- Pests of the Century, ye pernicious Poets.
- An of my trifles peradventure chance
- You to be readers, and the hands of you