Carmina

Catullus

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

  1. To hurt Catullus, whereas all that have
  2. Wage any Wager thou be Sabine classed)
  3. But whether Sabine or of Tiburs truer
  4. To thy suburban Cottage fared I fain
  5. And fro' my bronchials drave that cursèd cough
  6. Which not unmerited on me my maw,
  7. A-seeking sumptuous banquetings, bestowed.
  8. For I requesting to be Sestius' guest
  9. Read against claimant Antius a speech,
  10. Full-filled with poisonous pestilential trash.
  11. Hence a grave frigid rheum and frequent cough
  12. Shook me till fled I to thy bosom, where
  13. Repose and nettle-broth healed all my ills.
  14. Wherefore recruited now best thanks I give
  15. To thee for nowise punishing my sins:
  16. Nor do I now object if noisome writs
  17. Of Sestius hear I, but that cold and cough
  18. And rheum may plague, not me, but Sestius' self
  19. Who asks me only his ill writs to read.
  1. To Acmé quoth Septumius who his fere
  2. Held on his bosom-" Acme', mine! next year,
  3. Unless I love thee fondlier than before,
  4. And with each twelve month love thee more and more,
  5. As much as lover's life can slay with yearning,
  6. Alone in Lybia, or Hind's clime a-burning,
  7. Be mine to encounter Lion grisly-eyed!"
  8. While he was speaking Love on leftward side
  9. (As wont) approving sneeze from dextral sped.
  10. But Acmé backwards gently bending head,
  11. And the love-drunken eyes of her sweet boy
  12. Kissing with yonder rosy mouth, "My joy,"
  13. She murmured, "my life-love Septumillus mine!
  14. Unto one master's hest let's aye incline,
  15. As burns with fuller and with fiercer fire
  16. In my soft marrow set, this love-desire!"
  17. While she was speaking, Love from leftward side
  18. (As wont) with sneeze approving rightwards hied.
  19. Now with boon omens wafted on their way,
  20. In mutual fondness, love and loved are they.
  21. Love-sick Septumius holds one Acmé's love,
  22. Of Syrias or either Britains high above,
  23. Acmé to one Septumius full of faith
  24. Her love and love-liesse surrendereth.
  25. Who e'er saw mortals happier than these two?
  26. Who e'er a better omened Venus knew?
  1. Now Spring his cooly mildness brings us back,
  2. Now th' equinoctial heaven's rage and wrack
  3. Hushes at hest of Zephyr's bonny breeze.
  4. Far left (Catullus!) be the Phrygian leas
  5. And summery Nicaea's fertile downs:
  6. Fly we to Asia's fame-illumined towns.