Carmina

Catullus

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

  1. Now shall I see thee, safely hear thee tell
  2. Of sites Iberian, deeds and nations 'spied,
  3. (As be thy wont) and neck-a-neck applied
  4. I'll greet with kisses thy glad lips and eyne.
  5. Oh! Of all mortal men beatified
  6. Whose joy and gladness greater be than mine?
  1. Led me my Varus to his flame,
  2. As I from Forum idling came.
  3. Forthright some whorelet judged I it
  4. Nor lacking looks nor wanting wit,
  5. When hied we thither, mid us three
  6. Fell various talk, as how might be
  7. Bithynia now, and how it fared,
  8. And if some coin I made or spared.
  9. "There was no cause (I soothly said)
  10. "The Praetors or the Cohort made
  11. Thence to return with oilier head;
  12. The more when ruled by---
  13. Praetor, as pile the Cohort rating."
  14. Quoth they, "But certes as 'twas there
  15. The custom rose, some men to bear
  16. Litter thou boughtest ?" I to her
  17. To seem but richer, wealthier,
  18. Cry, "Nay, with me 'twas not so ill
  19. That, given the Province suffered, still
  20. Eight stiff-backed loons I could not buy.'
  21. (Withal none here nor there owned I
  22. Who broken leg of Couch outworn
  23. On nape of neck had ever borne!)
  24. Then she, as pathic piece became,
  25. "Prithee Catullus mine, those same
  26. Lend me, Serapis-wards I'd hie." ---
  27. "Easy, on no-wise, no," quoth I,
  28. "Whate'er was mine, I lately said
  29. Is some mistake, my camarade
  30. One Cinna-Gaius-bought the lot,