Carmina

Catullus

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

  1. Dear to my heart are aye the lightest works of my comrade,
  2. Leave I the mob to enjoy tumidest Antimachus.
  1. If to the dumb deaf tomb can aught or grateful or pleasing
  2. (Calvus!) ever accrue rising from out of our dule,
  3. Wherewith yearning desire renews our loves in the bygone,
  4. And for long friendships lost many a tear must be shed;
  5. Certès, never so much for doom of premature death-day
  6. Must thy Quintilia mourn as she is joyed by thy love.
  1. Never (so love me the Gods!) deemed I 'twas preference matter
  2. Or Aemilius' mouth choose I to smell or his . . . .
  3. Nothing is this more clean, uncleaner nothing that other,
  4. Yet I ajudge . . . . cleaner and nicer to be;
  5. For while this one lacks teeth, that one has cubit-long tushes,
  6. Set in their battered gums favouring a muddy old box,
  7. Not to say aught of gape like wide-cleft gap of a she-mule
  8. Whenas in summer-heat wont peradventure to stale.
  9. Yet has he many a motte and holds himself to be handsome—
  10. Why wi' the baker's ass is he not bound to the mill?
  11. Him if a damsel kiss we fain must think she be ready
  12. With her fair lips . . . .
  1. Rightly of thee may be said, an of any, (thou stinkingest Victius!)
  2. Whatso wont we to say touching the praters and prigs.
  3. Thou wi' that tongue o' thine own, if granted occasion availest
  4. Brogues of the cowherds to kiss, also their . . . .
  5. Wouldst thou undo us all with a thorough undoing (0 Victius!)
  6. Open thy gape :—thereby all shall be wholly undone.
  1. E'en as thou played'st, from thee snatched I (0 honied Juventius!)
  2. Kisslet of savour so sweet sweetest Ambrosia unknows.
  3. Yet was the theft nowise scot-free, for more than an hour I
  4. Clearly remember me fixt hanging from crest of the Cross,
  5. Whatwhile I purged my sin unto thee nor with any weeping
  6. Tittle of cruel despite such as be thine could I 'bate.
  7. For that no sooner done thou washed thy liplets with many
  8. Drops which thy fingers did wipe, using their every joint,
  9. Lest of our mouths conjoined remain there aught by the contact
  10. Like unto slaver foul shed by the butterèd bun.
  11. Further, wretchedmost me betrayed to unfriendliest Love-god
  12. Never thou ceased'st to pain hurting with every harm,
  13. So that my taste be turned and kisses ambrosial erstwhile
  14. Even than hellebore-juice bitterest bitterer grow.
  15. Seeing such pangs as these prepared for unfortunate lover,
  16. After this never again kiss will I venture to snatch.
  1. Caelius Aufilénus and Quintius Aufiléna,
  2. Love to the death, both swains bloom of the youth Veronese,
  3. This woo'd brother and that sue'd sister: so might the matter