Carmina

Catullus

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

  1. Lastly the blushing grape disposed in shade of the vine-tree.
  2. Anon mine altar (this same) with blood (but you will be silent!)
  3. Bearded kid and anon some horny-hoofed nanny shall sprinkle.
  4. Wherefore Priapus is bound to requite such honours by service,
  5. Doing his duty to guard both vineyard and garth of his lordling.
  6. Here then, O lads, refrain from ill-mannered picking and stealing:
  7. Rich be the neighbour-hind and negligent eke his Priapus:
  8. Take what be his: this path hence leadeth straight to his ownings.
  1. I thuswise fashionèd by rustic art
  2. And from dried poplar-trunk (0 traveller!) hewn,
  3. This fieldlet, leftwards as thy glances fall,
  4. And my lord's cottage with his pauper garth
  5. Protect, repelling thieves' rapacious hands.
  6. In spring with vari-coloured wreaths I'm crown'd,
  7. In fervid summer with the glowing grain,
  8. Then with green vine-shoot and the luscious bunch,
  9. And glaucous olive-tree in bitter cold.
  10. The dainty she-goat from my pasture bears
  11. Her milk-distended udders to the town:
  12. Out of my sheep-cotes ta'en the fatted lamb
  13. Sends home with silver right-hand heavily charged;
  14. And, while its mother lows, the tender calf
  15. Before the temples of the Gods must bleed.
  16. Hence of such Godhead, (traveller !) stand in awe,
  17. Best it befits thee off to keep thy hands.
  18. Thy cross is ready, shaped as artless yard;
  19. "I'm willing, 'faith" (thou say'st) but 'faith here comes
  20. The boor, and plucking forth with bended arm
  21. Makes of this tool a club for doughty hand.
  1. Aurelius, father of the famisht crew,
  2. Not sole of starvelings now, but wretches who
  3. Were, are, or shall be in the years to come,
  4. My love, my dearling, fain art thou to strum.
  5. Nor privately; for nigh thou com'st and jestest
  6. And to his side close-sticking all things questest.
  7. 'Tis vain: while lay'st thou snares for me the worst,
  8. By . . . . I will teach thee first.
  9. An food-full thus do thou, my peace I'd keep:
  10. But what (ah me ! ah me !) compels me weep
  11. Are thirst and famine to my dearling fated.
  12. Cease thou so doing while as modest rated,
  13. Lest to thy will thou win—but . . . .
  1. Varus, yon wight Suffenus known to thee
  2. Fairly for wit, free talk, urbanity,
  3. The same who scribbles verse in amplest store—
  4. Methinks he fathers thousands ten or more
  5. Indited not as wont on palimpsest,
  6. But paper-royal, brand-new boards, and best
  7. Fresh bosses, crimson ribbands, sheets with lead
  8. Ruled, and with pumice-powder all well polished.
  9. These as thou readest, seem that fine, urbane
  10. Suffenus, goat-herd mere, or ditcher-swain
  11. Once more, such horrid change is there, so vile.
  12. What must we wot thereof? a Droll erst while,