Carmina

Catullus

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

  1. Did I not liefer love thee than my eyes
  2. (Winsomest Calvus!), for that gift of thine
  3. Certès I'd hate thee with Vatinian hate.
  4. Say me, how came I, or by word or deed,
  5. To cause thee plague me with so many a bard?
  6. The Gods deal many an ill to such a client,
  7. Who sent of impious wights to thee such crowd.
  8. But if (as guess I) this choice boon new-found
  9. To thee from "Commentator" Sulla come,
  10. None ill I hold it—well and welcome 'tis,
  11. For that thy labours ne'er to death be doom'd.
  12. Great Gods! What horrid booklet damnable
  13. Unto thine own Catullus thou (perdie!)
  14. Did send, that ever day by day die he
  15. In Saturnalia, first of festivals.
  16. No! No! thus shall't not pass wi' thee, sweet wag,
  17. For I at dawning day will scour the booths
  18. Of bibliopoles, Aquinii, Caesii and
  19. Suffenus, gather all their poison-trash
  20. And with such torments pay thee for thy pains.