Chapter 2

Lugete, o Veneres Cupidinesque, Et quantumst hominum venustiorum. Passer mortuus est meae puellae, Passer, deliciae meae puellae, Quem plus illa oculis suis amabat: 5 Nam mellitus erat suamque norat Ipsa tam bene quam puella matrem Nec sese a gremio illius movebat, Sed circumsiliens modo huc modo illuc Ad solam dominam usque pipiabat. 10 Qui nunc it per iter tenebricosum Illuc, unde negant redire quemquam. At vobis male sit, malae tenebrae Orci, quae omnia bella devoratis: Tam bellum mihi passerem abstulistis. 15 O factum male! io miselle passer! Tua nunc opera meae puellae Flendo turgiduli rubent ocelli.

III.

ON THE DEATH OF LESBIA'S SPARROW.

Weep every Venus, and all Cupids wail, And men whose gentler spirits still prevail. Dead is the Sparrow of my girl, the joy, Sparrow, my sweeting's most delicious toy, Whom loved she dearer than her very eyes; 5 For he was honeyed-pet and anywise Knew her, as even she her mother knew; Ne'er from her bosom's harbourage he flew But 'round her hopping here, there, everywhere, Piped he to none but her his lady fair. 10 Now must he wander o'er the darkling way Thither, whence life-return the Fates denay. But ah! beshrew you, evil Shadows low'ring In Orcus ever loveliest things devouring: Who bore so pretty a Sparrow fro' her ta'en. 15 (Oh hapless birdie and Oh deed of bane!) Now by your wanton work my girl appears With turgid eyelids tinted rose by tears.

Mourn ye, O ye Loves and Cupids and all men of gracious mind. Dead is the sparrow of my girl, sparrow, sweetling of my girl. Which more than her eyes she loved; for sweet as honey was it and its mistress knew, as well as damsel knoweth her own mother nor from her bosom did it rove, but hopping round first one side then the other, to its mistress alone it evermore did chirp. Now does it fare along that path of shadows whence naught may e'er return. Ill be to ye, savage glooms of Orcus, which swallow up all things of fairness: which have snatched away from me the comely sparrow. O deed of bale! O sparrow sad of plight! Now on thy account my girl's sweet eyes, swollen, do redden with tear-drops.

IIII.

Phaselus ille, quem videtis, hospites, Ait fuisse navium celerrimus, Neque ullius natantis impetum trabis Nequisse praeter ire, sive palmulis Opus foret volare sive linteo. 5 Et hoc negat minacis Adriatici Negare litus insulasve Cycladas Rhodumque nobilem horridamque Thraciam Propontida trucemve Ponticum sinum, Vbi iste post phaselus antea fuit 10 Comata silva: nam Cytorio in iugo Loquente saepe sibilum edidit coma. Amastri Pontica et Cytore buxifer, Tibi haec fuisse et esse cognitissima Ait phaselus: ultima ex origine 15 Tuo stetisse dicit in cacumine, Tuo imbuisse palmulas in aequore, Et inde tot per inpotentia freta Erum tulisse, laeva sive dextera Vocaret aura, sive utrumque Iuppiter 20 Simul secundus incidisset in pedem; Neque ulla vota litoralibus deis Sibi esse facta, cum veniret a marei Novissime hunc ad usque limpidum lacum. Sed haec prius fuere: nunc recondita 25 Senet quiete seque dedicat tibi, Gemelle Castor et gemelle Castoris.

IIII.

ON HIS PINNACE.

Yonder Pinnace ye (my guests!) behold Saith she was erstwhile fleetest-fleet of crafts, Nor could by swiftness of aught plank that swims, Be she outstripped, whether paddle plied, Or fared she scudding under canvas-sail. 5 Eke she defieth threat'ning Adrian shore, Dare not denay her, insular Cyclades, And noble Rhodos and ferocious Thrace, Propontis too and blustering Pontic bight. Where she (my Pinnace now) in times before, 10 Was leafy woodling on Cytórean Chine For ever loquent lisping with her leaves. Pontic Amastris! Box-tree-clad Cytórus! Cognisant were ye, and you weet full well (So saith my Pinnace) how from earliest age 15 Upon your highmost-spiring peak she stood, How in your waters first her sculls were dipt, And thence thro' many and many an important strait She bore her owner whether left or right, Where breezes bade her fare, or Jupiter deigned 20 At once propitious strike the sail full square; Nor to the sea-shore gods was aught of vow By her deemed needful, when from Ocean's bourne Extreme she voyaged for this limpid lake. Yet were such things whilome: now she retired 25 In quiet age devotes herself to thee (O twin-born Castor) twain with Castor's twin.

That pinnace which ye see, my friends, says that it was the speediest of boats, nor any craft the surface skimming but it could gain the lead, whether the course were gone o'er with plashing oars or bended sail. And this the menacing Adriatic shores may not deny, nor may the Island Cyclades, nor noble Rhodes and bristling Thrace, Propontis nor the gusty Pontic gulf, where itself (afterwards a pinnace to become) erstwhile was a foliaged clump; and oft on Cytorus' ridge hath this foliage announced itself in vocal rustling. And to thee, Pontic Amastris, and to box-screened Cytorus, the pinnace vows that this was alway and yet is of common knowledge most notorious; states that from its primal being it stood upon thy topmost peak, dipped its oars in thy waters, and bore its master thence through surly seas of number frequent, whether the wind whistled 'gainst the starboard quarter or the lee or whether Jove propitious fell on both the sheets at once; nor any vows [from stress of storm] to shore-gods were ever made by it when coming from the uttermost seas unto this glassy lake. But these things were of time gone by: now laid away, it rusts in peace and dedicates its age to thee, twin Castor, and to Castor's twin.

V.

Vivamus, mea Lesbia, atque amemus, Rumoresque senum severiorum Omnes unius aestimemus assis. Soles occidere et redire possunt: Nobis cum semel occidit brevis lux, 5 Nox est perpetua una dormienda. Da mi basia mille, deinde centum, Dein mille altera, dein secunda centum, Deinde usque altera mille, deinde centum. Dein, cum milia multa fecerimus, 10 Conturbabimus illa, ne sciamus, Aut nequis malus invidere possit, Cum tantum sciet esse basiorum.

V.

TO LESBIA, (OF LESBOS--CLODIA?)

Love we (my Lesbia!) and live we our day, While all stern sayings crabbed sages say, At one doit's value let us price and prize! The Suns can westward sink again to rise But we, extinguished once our tiny light, 5 Perforce shall slumber through one lasting night! Kiss me a thousand times, then hundred more, Then thousand others, then a new five-score, Still other thousand other hundred store. Last when the sums to many thousands grow, 10 The tale let's trouble till no more we know, Nor envious wight despiteful shall misween us Knowing how many kisses have been kissed between us.

Let us live, my Lesbia, and let us love, and count all the mumblings of sour age at a penny's fee. Suns set can rise again: we when once our brief light has set must sleep through a perpetual night. Give me of kisses a thousand, and then a hundred, then another thousand, then a second hundred, then another thousand without resting, then a hundred. Then, when we have made many thousands, we will confuse the count lest we know the numbering, so that no wretch may be able to envy us through knowledge of our kisses' number.

VI.

Flavi, delicias tuas Catullo, Nei sint inlepidae atque inelegantes, Velles dicere, nec tacere posses. Verum nescioquid febriculosi Scorti diligis: hoc pudet fateri. 5 Nam te non viduas iacere noctes Nequiquam tacitum cubile clamat Sertis ac Syrio fragrans olivo, Pulvinusque peraeque et hic et ille Attritus, tremulique quassa lecti 10 Argutatio inambulatioque. Nam nil stupra valet, nihil, tacere. Cur? non tam latera ecfututa pandas, Nei tu quid facias ineptiarum. Quare quidquid habes boni malique, 15 Dic nobis. volo te ac tuos amores Ad caelum lepido vocare versu.

VI.

TO FLAVIUS: MIS-SPEAKING HIS MISTRESS.

Thy Charmer (Flavius!) to Catullus' ear Were she not manner'd mean and worst in wit Perforce thou hadst praised nor couldst silence keep. But some enfevered jade, I wot-not-what, Some piece thou lovest, blushing this to own. 5 For, nowise 'customed widower nights to lie Thou 'rt ever summoned by no silent bed With flow'r-wreaths fragrant and with Syrian oil, By mattress, bolsters, here, there, everywhere Deep-dinted, and by quaking, shaking couch 10 All crepitation and mobility. Explain! none whoredoms (no!) shall close my lips. Why? such outfuttered flank thou ne'er wouldst show Had not some fulsome work by thee been wrought. Then what thou holdest, boon or bane be pleased 15 Disclose! For thee and thy beloved fain would I Upraise to Heaven with my liveliest lay.

O Flavius, of thy sweetheart to Catullus thou would'st speak, nor could'st thou keep silent, were she not both ill-mannered and ungraceful. In truth thou affectest I know not what hot-blooded whore: this thou art ashamed to own. For that thou dost not lie alone a-nights thy couch, fragrant with garlands and Syrian unguent, in no way mute cries out, and eke the pillow and bolsters indented here and there, and the creakings and joggings of the quivering bed: unless thou canst silence these, nothing and again nothing avails thee to hide thy whoredoms. And why? Thou wouldst not display such drainèd flanks unless occupied in some tomfoolery. Wherefore, whatsoever thou hast, be it good or ill, tell us! I wish to laud thee and thy loves to the sky in joyous verse.

VII.

Quaeris, quot mihi basiationes Tuae, Lesbia, sint satis superque. Quam magnus numerus Libyssae arenae Lasarpiciferis iacet Cyrenis, Oraclum Iovis inter aestuosi 5 Et Batti veteris sacrum sepulcrum, Aut quam sidera multa, cum tacet nox, Furtivos hominum vident amores, Tam te basia multa basiare Vesano satis et super Catullost, 10 Quae nec pernumerare curiosi Possint nec mala fascinare lingua.

VII.

TO LESBIA STILL BELOVED.

Thou ask'st How many kissing bouts I bore From thee (my Lesbia!) or be enough or more? I say what mighty sum of Lybian-sands Confine Cyrene's Laserpitium-lands 'Twixt Oracle of Jove the Swelterer 5 And olden Battus' holy Sepulchre, Or stars innumerate through night-stillness ken The stolen Love-delights of mortal men, For that to kiss thee with unending kisses For mad Catullus enough and more be this, 10 Kisses nor curious wight shall count their tale, Nor to bewitch us evil tongue avail.

Thou askest, how many kisses of thine, Lesbia, may be enough and to spare for me. As the countless Libyan sands which strew the spicy strand of Cyrene 'twixt the oracle of swelt'ring Jove and the sacred sepulchre of ancient Battus, or as the thronging stars which in the hush of darkness witness the furtive loves of mortals, to kiss thee with kisses of so great a number is enough and to spare for passion-driven Catullus: so many that prying eyes may not avail to number, nor ill tongues to ensorcel.

VIII.

Miser Catulle, desinas ineptire, Et quod vides perisse perditum ducas. Fulsere quondam candidi tibi soles, Cum ventitabas quo puella ducebat Amata nobis quantum amabitur nulla. 5 Ibi illa multa tum iocosa fiebant, Quae tu volebas nec puella nolebat. Fulsere vere candidi tibi soles. Nunc iam illa non vult: tu quoque, inpotens, noli Nec quae fugit sectare, nec miser vive, 10 Sed obstinata mente perfer, obdura. Vale, puella. iam Catullus obdurat, Nec te requiret nec rogabit invitam: At tu dolebis, cum rogaberis nulla. Scelesta, vae te! quae tibi manet vita! 15 Quis nunc te adibit? cui videberis bella? Quem nunc amabis? cuius esse diceris? Quem basiabis? cui labella mordebis? At tu, Catulle, destinatus obdura.

VIII.

TO HIMSELF RECOUNTING LESBIA'S INCONSTANCY.

Woe-full Catullus! cease to play the fool And what thou seest dead as dead regard! Whilòme the sheeniest suns for thee did shine When oft-a-tripping whither led the girl By us belovèd, as shall none be loved. 5 There all so merry doings then were done After thy liking, nor the girl was loath. Then certès sheeniest suns for thee did shine. Now she's unwilling: thou too (hapless!) will Her flight to follow, and sad life to live: 10 Endure with stubborn soul and still obdure. Damsel, adieu! Catullus obdurate grown Nor seeks thee, neither asks of thine unwill; Yet shalt thou sorrow when none woos thee more; Reprobate! Woe to thee! What life remains? 15 Who now shall love thee? Who'll think thee fair? Whom now shalt ever love? Whose wilt be called? To whom shalt kisses give? whose liplets nip? But thou (Catullus!) destiny-doomed obdure.

Unhappy Catullus, cease thy trifling and what thou seest lost know to be lost. Once bright days used to shine on thee when thou wert wont to haste whither thy girl didst lead thee, loved by us as never girl will e'er be loved. There those many joys were joyed which thou didst wish, nor was the girl unwilling. In truth bright days used once to shine on thee. Now she no longer wishes: thou too, powerless to avail, must be unwilling, nor pursue the retreating one, nor live unhappy, but with firm-set mind endure, steel thyself. Farewell, girl, now Catullus steels himself, seeks thee not, nor entreats thy acquiescence. But thou wilt pine, when thou hast no entreaty proffered. Faithless, go thy way! what manner of life remaineth to thee? who now will visit thee? who find thee beautiful? whom wilt thou love now? whose girl wilt thou be called? whom wilt thou kiss? whose lips wilt thou bite? But thou, Catullus, remain hardened as steel.

VIIII.

Verani, omnibus e meis amicis Antistans mihi milibus trecentis, Venistine domum ad tuos Penates Fratresque unanimos anumque matrem? Venisti. o mihi nuntii beati! 5 Visam te incolumem audiamque Hiberum Narrantem loca, facta, nationes, Vt mos est tuus, adplicansque collum Iocundum os oculosque suaviabor. O quantumst hominum beatiorum, 10 Quid me laetius est beatiusve?

VIIII.

TO VERANIUS RETURNED FROM TRAVEL.

Veranius! over every friend of me Forestanding, owned I hundred thousands three, Home to Penates and to single-soul'd Brethren, returned art thou and mother old? Yes, thou art come. Oh, winsome news come well! 5 Now shall I see thee, safely hear thee tell Of sites Iberian, deeds and nations 'spied, (As be thy wont) and neck-a-neck applied I'll greet with kisses thy glad lips and eyne. Oh! Of all mortal men beatified 10 Whose joy and gladness greater be than mine?

Veranius, of all my friends standing in the front, owned I three hundred thousands of them, hast thou come home to thy Penates, thy longing brothers and thine aged mother? Thou hast come back. O joyful news to me! I may see thee safe and sound, and may hear thee speak of regions, deeds, and peoples Iberian, as is thy manner; and reclining o'er thy neck shall kiss thy jocund mouth and eyes. O all ye blissfullest of men, who more gladsome or more blissful is than I am?

X.

Varus me meus ad suos amores Visum duxerat e foro otiosum, Scortillum, ut mihi tum repente visumst, Non sane inlepidum neque invenustum. Huc ut venimus, incidere nobis 5 Sermones varii, in quibus, quid esset Iam Bithynia, quo modo se haberet, Ecquonam mihi profuisset aere. Respondi id quod erat, nihil neque ipsis Nec praetoribus esse nec cohorti, 10 Cur quisquam caput unctius referret, Praesertim quibus esset inrumator Praetor, non faciens pili cohortem. 'At certe tamen, inquiunt, quod illic Natum dicitur esse, conparasti 15 Ad lecticam homines.' ego, ut puellae Vnum me facerem beatiorem, 'Non' inquam 'mihi tam fuit maligne, Vt, provincia quod mala incidisset, Non possem octo homines parare rectos.' 20 At mi nullus erat nec hic neque illic, Fractum qui veteris pedem grabati In collo sibi collocare posset. Hic illa, ut decuit cinaediorem, 'Quaeso' inquit 'mihi, mi Catulle, paulum 25 Istos. commode enim volo ad Sarapim Deferri.' 'minime' inquii puellae; * * * * 'Istud quod modo dixeram me habere, Fugit me ratio: meus sodalis Cinnast Gaius, is sibi paravit. 30 Verum, utrum illius an mei, quid ad me? Vtor tam bene quam mihi pararim. Sed tu insulsa male ac molesta vivis, Per quam non licet esse negligentem.'

X.

HE MEETS VARUS AND MISTRESS.

Led me my Varus to his flame, As I from Forum idling came. Forthright some whorelet judged I it Nor lacking looks nor wanting wit, When hied we thither, mid us three 5 Fell various talk, as how might be Bithynia now, and how it fared, And if some coin I made or spared. "There was no cause" (I soothly said) "The Prætors or the Cohort made 10 Thence to return with oilier head; The more when ruled by ---- Prætor, as pile the Cohort rating." Quoth they, "But certès as 'twas there The custom rose, some men to bear 15 Litter thou boughtest?" I to her To seem but richer, wealthier, Cry, "Nay, with me 'twas not so ill That, given the Province suffered, still Eight stiff-backed loons I could not buy.' 20 (Withal none here nor there owned I Who broken leg of Couch outworn On nape of neck had ever borne!) Then she, as pathic piece became, "Prithee Catullus mine, those same 25 Lend me, Serapis-wards I'd hie." * * * * "Easy, on no-wise, no," quoth I, "Whate'er was mine, I lately said Is some mistake, my camarade One Cinna--Gaius--bought the lot, 30 But his or mine, it matters what? I use it freely as though bought, Yet thou, pert troubler, most absurd, None suffer'st speak an idle word."

Varus drew me off to see his mistress as I was strolling from the Forum: a little whore, as it seemed to me at the first glance, neither inelegant nor lacking good looks. When we came in, we fell to discussing various subjects, amongst which, how was Bithynia now, how things had gone there, and whether I had made any money there. I replied, what was true, that neither ourselves nor the praetors nor their suite had brought away anything whereby to flaunt a better-scented poll, especially as our praetor, the irrumating beast, cared not a single hair for his suite. "But surely," she said, "you got some men to bear your litter, for they are said to grow there?" I, to make myself appear to the girl as one of the fortunate, "Nay," I say, "it did not go that badly with me, ill as the province turned out, that I could not procure eight strapping knaves to bear me." (But not a single one was mine either here or there who the fractured foot of my old bedstead could hoist on his neck.) And she, like a pathic girl, "I pray thee," says she, "lend me, my Catullus, those bearers for a short time, for I wish to be borne to the shrine of Serapis." "Stay," quoth I to the girl, "when I said I had this, my tongue slipped; my friend, Cinna Gaius, he provided himself with these. In truth, whether his or mine--what do I trouble? I use them as though I had paid for them. But thou, in ill manner with foolish teasing dost not allow me to be heedless."

XI.

Furi et Aureli, comites Catulli, Sive in extremos penetrabit Indos, Litus ut longe resonante Eoa Tunditur unda, Sive in Hyrcanos Arabesve molles, 5 Seu Sacas sagittiferosve Parthos, Sive qua septemgeminus colorat Aequora Nilus, Sive trans altas gradietur Alpes, Caesaris visens monimenta magni, 10 Gallicum Rhenum, horribile aequor ulti- mosque Britannos, Omnia haec, quaecumque feret voluntas Caelitum, temptare simul parati, Pauca nuntiate meae puellae 15 Non bona dicta. Cum suis vivat valeatque moechis, Quos simul conplexa tenet trecentos, Nullum amans vere, sed identidem omnium Ilia rumpens: 20 Nec meum respectet, ut ante, amorem, Qui illius culpa cecidit velut prati Vltimi flos, praeter eunte postquam Tactus aratrost.

XI.

A PARTING INSULT TO LESBIA.

Furius and Aurelius, Catullus' friends, Whether extremest Indian shore he brave, Strands where far-resounding billow rends The shattered wave, Or 'mid Hyrcanians dwell he, Arabs soft and wild, 5 Sacæ and Parthians of the arrow fain, Or where the Seven-mouth'd Nilus mud-defiled Tinges the Main, Or climb he lofty Alpine Crest and note Works monumental, Cæsar's grandeur telling, 10 Rhine Gallic, horrid Ocean and remote Britons low-dwelling; All these (whatever shall the will design Of Heaven-homed Gods) Oh ye prepared to tempt; Announce your briefest to that damsel mine 15 In words unkempt:-- Live she and love she wenchers several, Embrace three hundred wi' the like requitals, None truly loving and withal of all Bursting the vitals: 20 My love regard she not, my love of yore, Which fell through fault of her, as falls the fair Last meadow-floret whenas passed it o'er Touch of the share.

Furius and Aurelius, comrades of Catullus, whether he penetrate to furthest Ind where the strand is lashed by the far-echoing Eoan surge, or whether 'midst the Hyrcans or soft Arabs, or whether the Sacians or quiver-bearing Parthians, or where the seven-mouthed Nile encolours the sea, or whether he traverse the lofty Alps, gazing at the monuments of mighty Caesar, the gallic Rhine, the dismal and remotest Britons, all these, whatever the Heavens' Will may bear, prepared at once to attempt,--bear ye to my girl this brief message of no fair speech. May she live and flourish with her swivers, of whom may she hold at once embraced the full three hundred, loving not one in real truth, but bursting again and again the flanks of all: nor may she look upon my love as before, she whose own guile slew it, e'en as a flower on the greensward's verge, after the touch of the passing plough.

XII.