Carmina

Catullus

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

  1. Lead wi' thy parents wooden wife.
  2. Nor be this marvel: hale are all,
  3. Well ye digest; no fears appal
  4. For household-arsons, heavy ruin,
  5. Plunderings impious, poison-brewin'
  6. Or other parlous case forlorn.
  7. Your frames are hard and dried like horn,
  8. Or if more arid aught ye know
  9. By suns and frosts and hunger-throe.
  10. Then why not happy as thou'rt hale?
  11. Sweat's strange to thee, spit fails, and fail
  12. Phlegm and foul snivel from the nose.
  13. Add cleanness that aye cleanlier shows
  14. A bum than salt-pot cleanlier,
  15. Nor ten times cack'st in total year,
  16. And harder 'tis than pebble or bean
  17. Which rubbed in hand or crumbled, e'en
  18. On finger ne'er shall make unclean.
  19. Such blessings (Furius !) such a prize
  20. Never belittle nor despise;