Carmina

Catullus

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

  1. Save and except that host from deadliest site of Pisaurum,
  2. Wight than a statue gilt wanner and yellower-hued,
  3. Whom to thy heart thou takest and whom thou darest before us
  4. Choose? But villain what deed doest thou little canst wot!
  1. Quintius! an thou wish that Catullus should owe thee his eyes
  2. Or aught further if aught dearer can be than his eyes,
  3. Thou wilt not ravish from him what deems he dearer and nearer
  4. E'en than his eyes if aught dearer there be than his eyes.
  1. Lesbia heaps upon me foul words her mate being present;
  2. Which to that simple soul causes the fullest delight.
  3. Mule! naught sensest thou: did she forget us in silence,
  4. Whole she had been; but now what so she rails and she snarls,
  5. Not only dwells in her thought, but worse and even more risky,
  6. Wrathful she bides. Which means, she is afire and she fumes.
  1. Wontis Arrius say "Chommodious" whenas "commodious"
  2. Means he, and "Insidious "aspirate "Hinsidious,"
  3. What time flattering self he speaks with marvellous purity,
  4. Clamouring "Hinsidious" loudly as ever he can.
  5. Deem I thus did his dame and thus-wise Liber his uncle
  6. Speak, and on spindle-side grandsire and grandmother too.