Further, wretchedmost me betrayed to unfriendliest Love-godNever thou ceased'st to pain hurting with every harm,So that my taste be turned and kisses ambrosial erstwhileEven than hellebore-juice bitterest bitterer grow.Seeing such pangs as these prepared for unfortunate lover,After this never again kiss will I venture to snatch.
ON CAELIUS AND QUINTIUS.Caelius Aufilénus and Quintius Aufiléna,Love to the death, both swains bloom of the youth Veronese,This woo'd brother and that sue'd sister: so might the matterClaim to be titled wi' sooth fairest fraternalest tie.Whom shall I favour the first? Thee (Caelius!) for thou hast provèdSingular friendship to us shown by the deeds it has done,Whenas the flames insane had madded me, firing my marrow:Caelius! happy be thou; ever be lusty in love.
ON THE BURIAL OF HIS BROTHER.Faring thro' many a folk and plowing many a sea-plainThese sad funeral-rites (Brother!) to deal thee I come,So wi' the latest boons to the dead bestowed I may gift thee,And I may vainly address ashes that answer have none,Sithence of thee, very thee, to deprive me Fortune behested,Woe for thee, Brother forlore! Cruelly severed fro' me.Yet in the meanwhile now what olden usage of forbearsBrings as the boons that befit mournfullest funeral rites,Thine be these gifts which flow with tear-flood shed by thy brother,And, for ever and aye (Brother!) all hail and farewell.
TO CORNELIUS.If by confiding friend aught e'er be trusted in silence,Unto a man whose mind known is for worthiest trust,Me shalt thou find no less than such to secrecy oath-bound,(Cornelius!) and now hold me an Harpocrates.
TO SILO.Or, d'ye hear, refund those ten sestertia (Silo!)Then be thou e'en at thy will surly and savage o' mood:Or, an thou love o'er-well those moneys, prithee no longerProve thee a pimp and withal surly and savage o' mood.
CONCERNING LESBIA.Canst thou credit that I could avail to revile my life-love,She who be dearer to me even than either my eyes?Ne'er could I, nor an I could, should I so losingly love her:But with Tappo thou dost design every monstrous deed.
ON MAMURRA.Mentula fain would ascend Pipléan mountain up-mounting:Pitch him the Muses down headlong wi' forklets a-hurled.
THE AUCTIONEER AND THE FAIR BOY.When with a pretty-faced boy we see one playing the Crier,What can we wot except longs he for selling the same?
TO LESBIA RECONCILED.An to one ever accrue any boon he lusted and longed forAny time after despair, grateful it comes to his soul.Thus 'tis grateful to us nor gold was ever so goodly,When thou restorest thyself (Lesbia!) to loving-most me,Self thou restorest unhoped, and after despair thou returnest.Oh the fair light of a Day noted with notabler white!Where lives a happier man than myself or—this being won me—Who shall e'er boast that his life brought him more coveted lot?
ON COMINIUS.If by the verdict o' folk thy hoary old age (0 Cominius!)Filthy with fulsomest lust ever be doomed to the death,Make I no manner of doubt but first thy tongue to the worthyEver a foe, cut out, ravening Vulture shall feed;Gulp shall the Crow's black gorge those eye-balls dug from their sockets,Guts of thee go to the dogs, all that remains to the wolves.
TO LESBIA ON HER VOW OF CONSTANCY.Gladsome to me, 0 my life, this love whose offer thou deignestBetween us twain lively and lusty to last soothfast.(Great Gods!) grant ye the boon that prove her promises loyal,Saying her say in truth spoken with spirit sincere;So be it lawful for us to protract through length of our life-tideMutual pact of our love, pledges of holy good will!
TO AUFILENA.Aufiléna! for aye good lasses are lauded as loyal:Price of themselves they accept when they intend to perform.