Carmina

Catullus

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

  1. Some piece thou lovest, blushing this to own.
  2. For, nowise 'customed widower nights to lie
  3. Thou 'rt ever summoned by no silent bed
  4. With flow'r-wreaths fragrant and with Syrian oil,
  5. By mattress, bolsters, here, there, everywhere
  6. Deep-dinted, and by quaking, shaking couch
  7. All crepitation and mobility.
  8. Explain! none whoredoms (no!) shall close my lips.
  9. Why? such outfuttered flank thou ne'er wouldst show
  10. Had not some fulsome work by thee been wrought.
  11. Then what thou holdest, boon or bane be pleased