The Carmina of Caius Valerius Catullus

Name: The Carmina of Caius Valerius Catullus
Author: Catullus

Catullus

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Catullus · 130 chapters

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PrefaceSample
10 To live down Ages lend thou lasting aid!
10 That mind might win from misery free!
15 Who bore so pretty a Sparrow fro' her ta'en.
25 Yet were such things whilome: now she retired
5 Oraclum Iovis inter aestuosi
15 Reprobate! Woe to thee! What life remains?
5 Venisti. o mihi nuntii beati!
10 Oh! Of all mortal men beatified
20 Non possem octo homines parare rectos.'
20 Eight stiff-backed loons I could not buy.'
20 Ilia rumpens:
20 Bursting the vitals:
15 Miserunt mihi muneri Fabullus
15 Fabúllus sent me a free-giftie given
10 Seu quid suavius elegantiusvest:
5 To cause thee plague me with so many a bard?
20 And with such torments pay thee for thy pains.
10 Infesto pueris bonis malisque.
5 Then guard my boy in purest way.
5 Nam castum esse decet pium poetam
5 For pious poet it behoves be chaste
10 Verum totius ut lacus putidaeque paludis
5 So may the bridge hold good when builded after thy pleasure
25 Or in the sluggish mud his soul supine to deposit
15 Sanguine hanc etiam mihi (sed tacebitis) aram
20 Rich be the neighbour-hind and negligent eke his Priapus:
15 Before the temples of the Gods must bleed.
10 But what (ah me! ah me!) compels me weep
20 Possis. suus cuique attributus est error:
20 Thou canst: his lache allotted none shall lack
25 Never belittle nor despise;
10 Yet neither slave he owns nor money-chest."
10 Ne laneum latusculum manusque mollicellas
5 O ventum horribilem atque pestilentem!
5 But ye fare whither please ye (water-nymphs!)
15 Disgrace of Romulus! Remus' shame!
15 Quid est alid sinistra liberalitas?
20 Fear him the Gallias? Him the Britons' fear?
10 Ventos inrita ferre ac nebulas aerias sinis.
10 To lie reposing in the longed-for bed!
10 Nam pransus iaceo et satur supinus
5 Why not to banishment and evil hours
15 Thou puissant Trivia and the Light
15 Wasting her inmost marrow-core hath burned.
10 Iocose lepide vovere divis.
15 Durrachium—thine Adrian abode—
20 And teeth with Spanish urine polishèd.
5 With what of comfort hast thou deign'd console?
15 Tamen renidere usque quaque te nollem:
5 Is't that the vulgar mouth thy name by rote?
5 An ye would guard her (kinsmen folk)
15 Sed non est tamen hoc satis putandum.
20 Our noting books (O rotten whore!) restore!"
5 Leman to Formian that rake-a-hell.
15 Repose and nettle-broth healed all my ills.
25 Quis ullos homines beatiores
25 Who e'er saw mortals happier than these two?
5 Upon rich banquets sumptuously spread
5 Not albe denser than dried wheat-ears show
5 Now in one measure then in other line
20 Lest doom thee Nemesis hard pain repay:—
10 Flows subtle flame; with sound its own
5 Tibi et Fuficio seni recocte
14 In such proud lodging (friend) wouldst self denay?
5 Erstwhile I came upon a lad who a lass
10 Right well are paired these Cinaedes sans shame.
5 Contemptam haberes a! nimis fero corde?
95 Aureas quatiunt comas:
95 How shake their locks begilt with gold:
30 Quid datur a divis felici optatius hora?
65 Qui genero sua iura simul cum dote dederunt.
20 Hesperus! say what flame more cruel in Heaven be fanned?
35 Hesper! thou seizest them with title changed to Eöus.
55 Tends her many a hind and tends her many a herdsman:
30 Viridem citus adit Idam properante pede chorus.
90 Ibi semper omne vitae spatium famula fuit.
15 My sect pursuing led by me have nerved you to confront
80 He who with over-freedom fain would fly mine empery.
25 Teque adeo eximie taedis felicibus aucte
50 Haec vestis priscis hominum variata figuris
85 Magnanimum ad Minoa venit sedesque superbas.
10 Weaving plants of the pine conjoined in curve of the kelson;
50 This be a figured cloth with forms of manhood primeval
65 Now no more smooth zone contains her milky-hued paplets:
75 Reacht the Gortynian roofs where dwelt th' injurious Monarch.
85 Sought he Minos the Haughty where homed in proudest of Mansions.
5 Namque mei nuper Lethaeo gurgite fratris
20 In the chaste breast of the Maid hidden a-sudden out-sprang;
35 Sei reditum tetullisset. is haut in tempore longo
65 Virginis et saevi contingens namque Leonis
85 Illius a mala dona levis bibat irrita pulvis:
65 For with Virgo in touch and joining the furious Lion's
80 Earlier yield not selves unto unanimous wills
90 Every festal day Venus the Goddess appease;
40 Tantum operire soles aut aperire domum?
30 Who in the heart of his son lief was ——!
45 Further she noted a wight whose name in public to mention
10 Muneraque et Musarum hinc petis et Veneris:
25 Cuius ego interitu tota de mente fugavi
55 Maesta neque adsiduo tabescere lumina fletu
70 Quo mea se molli candida diva pede
10 Hence of me seekest thou gifts Muses and Venus can give:
30 Such be no shame (Manius!): rather 'tis matter of ruth.
55 Nor did these saddened eyes to be dimmed by assiduous weeping
70 Thither graceful of gait pacing my goddess white-hued
90 Troy to sad ashes that turned valour and valorous men!
10 Or at their reason of flight blatantly wondering cease.
5 Whatso he willed did he; and nowdays albe his uncle
5 Ravished; (alas and alas!) of our life thou cruellest cruel
5 Certès sure am I not an Rumour rightfully whisper
5 Deem I thus did his dame and thus-wise Liber his uncle
10 Quare iam te cur amplius excrucies?
25 Ipse valere opto et taetrum hunc deponere morbum.
15 This be thy safe-guard sole; this conquest needs to be conquered;
25 Would I were only healed and shed this fulsome disorder.
5 Ventures he (O Gellius!) what ne'er can ultimate Tethys
5 So may their issue adore busy gods with recognised verses
5 Sed neque quod matrem nec germanam esse videbam
10 Crime wherein may be found somewhat enormous of guilt.
10 At populus tumido gaudeat Antimacho.
10 Leave I the mob to enjoy tumidest Antimachus.
5 Certe non tanto mors inmatura dolorist
10 Et non pistrino traditur atque asino?
5 Wouldst thou undo us all with a thorough undoing (O Victius!)
10 Tamquam conmictae spurca saliva lupae.
10 Like unto slaver foul shed by the butterèd bun.
5 Restituis cupido atque insperanti ipsa refers te.
5 Vt liceat nobis tota producere vita
EXPLANATORY AND ILLUSTRATIVE