Carmina

Catullus

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

  1. Catullus, poet sorriest that be,
  2. And by such measure poet sorriest,
  3. As thou of pleaders art the bestest best.
  1. Idly (Licinius!) we our yesterday,
  2. Played with my tablets much as pleased us play,
  3. In mode becoming souls of dainty strain.
  4. Inditing verses either of us twain
  5. Now in one measure then in other line
  6. We rang the changes amid wit and wine.
  7. Then fared I homewards by thy fun so fired
  8. And by thy jests (Licinius!) so inspired,
  9. Nor food my hapless appetite availed
  10. Nor sleep in quiet rest my eyelids veiled,
  11. But o'er the bedstead wild in furious plight
  12. I tossed a-longing to behold the light,
  13. So I might talk wi' thee, and be wi' thee.
  14. But when these wearied limbs from labour free
  15. Were on my couchlet strewn half-dead to lie,
  16. For thee (sweet wag!) this poem for thee wrote I,
  17. Whereby thou mete and weet my cark and care.
  18. Now be not over-bold, nor this our prayer
  19. Outspit thou (apple of mine eyes !): we pray
  20. Lest doom thee Nemesis hard pain repay :—
  21. She's a dire Goddess, 'ware thou cross her way.
  1. Peer of a God meseemeth he,
  2. Nay passing Gods (and that can be!)
  3. Who all the while sits facing thee
  4. Sees thee and hears
  5. Thy low sweet laughs which (ah me!) daze
  6. Mine every sense, and as I gaze
  7. Upon thee (Lesbia!) o'er me strays
  8. ---
  9. My tongue is dulled, my limbs adown
  10. Flows subtle flame; with sound its own
  11. Rings either ear, and o'er are strown
  12. Mine eyes with night.
  13. Ease has thy lot, Catullus, crost,
  14. Ease gladdens thee at heaviest cost,
  15. Ease killed the Kings ere this and lost the tallest towns
  1. What is't, Catullus? Why delay to out die?
  2. That Wen hight Nonius sits in curule chair,
  3. For Consulship Vatinius false doth swear;
  4. What is't, Catullus? Why delay to out die?
  1. I laughed at one 'mid Forum-crowd unknown
  2. Who, when Vatinius' crimes in wondrous way
  3. Had by my Calvus been explained, exposed,
  4. His hand upraising high admiring cried
  5. "Great Gods! the loquent little Doodle-diddle!"
  1. The head of Otho, puniest of pates---
  2. The rustic half-washt shanks of Nerius
  3. And Libo's subtle silent fizzling-farts. ---
  4. I wish that leastwise these should breed disgust
  5. In thee and old Fuficius, rogue twice-cookt.
  6. Again at these mine innocent iamb-lines
  7. Wi' wrath be wrothest; unique Emperor!
  1. We pray, an' haply irk it not when prayed,
  2. Show us where shadowed hidest thou in shade!
  3. Thee throughout Campus Minor sought we all,
  4. Thee in the Circus, thee in each bookstall,