Carmina

Catullus

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

  1. Out of my sheep-cotes ta'en the fatted lamb
  2. Sends home with silver right-hand heavily charged;
  3. And, while its mother lows, the tender calf
  4. Before the temples of the Gods must bleed.
  5. Hence of such Godhead, (traveller !) stand in awe,
  6. Best it befits thee off to keep thy hands.
  7. Thy cross is ready, shaped as artless yard;
  8. "I'm willing, 'faith" (thou say'st) but 'faith here comes
  9. The boor, and plucking forth with bended arm
  10. 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: