Carmina

Catullus

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

  1. Restful reposed all ears when he was sent into Syria,
  2. Hearing the self-same words softly and smoothly pronouncèd,
  3. Nor any feared to hear such harshness uttered thereafter,
  4. Whenas a sudden came message of horrible news,
  5. Namely th' lonian waves when Arrius thither had wended,
  6. Were "lonian" no more—they had "Hionian" become.
  1. Hate I, and love I. Haps thou'lt ask me wherefore I do so.
  2. Wot I not, yet so I do feeling a torture of pain.
  1. Quintia beautiful seems to the crowd; to me, fair, and tall,
  2. Straight; and merits as these readily thus I confess,
  3. But that she is beauteous all I deny, for nothing of lovesome,
  4. Never a grain of salt, shows in her person so large.
  5. Lesbia beautiful seems, and when all over she's fairest,
  6. Any Venus-gift stole she from every one.
  1. Never a woman could call herself so fondly beloved
  2. Truly as Lesbia mine has been beloved of myself.
  3. Never were Truth and Faith so firm in any one compact
  4. As on the part of me kept I my love to thyself.
  5. Now is my mind to a pass, my Lesbia, brought by thy treason,
  1. What may he (Gellius!) do that ever for mother and sister