Carmina

Catullus

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

  1. Ever so happy as when verse he write:
  2. So self admires he with so full delight.
  3. In sooth, we all thus err, nor man there be
  4. But in some matter a Suffenus see
  5. Thou canst: his lache allotted none shall lack
  6. Yet spy we nothing of our back-borne pack.
  1. Furius ! Nor chest, nor slaves can claim,
  2. Bug, Spider, nor e'e n hearth aflame,
  3. Yet thine a sire and step-dame who
  4. Wi' tooth can ever flint-food chew!
  5. So thou, and pleasant happy life
  6. Lead wi' thy parents wooden wife.
  7. Nor be this marvel: hale are all,
  8. Well ye digest; no fears appal
  9. For household-arsons, heavy ruin,
  10. Plunderings impious, poison-brewin'
  11. Or other parlous case forlorn.
  12. Your frames are hard and dried like horn,
  13. Or if more arid aught ye know
  14. By suns and frosts and hunger-throe.