Carmina

Catullus

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

  1. Bug, Spider, nor e'e n hearth aflame,
  2. Yet thine a sire and step-dame who
  3. Wi' tooth can ever flint-food chew!
  4. So thou, and pleasant happy life
  5. Lead wi' thy parents wooden wife.
  6. Nor be this marvel: hale are all,
  7. Well ye digest; no fears appal
  8. For household-arsons, heavy ruin,
  9. Plunderings impious, poison-brewin'
  10. Or other parlous case forlorn.
  11. Your frames are hard and dried like horn,
  12. Or if more arid aught ye know
  13. By suns and frosts and hunger-throe.
  14. Then why not happy as thou'rt hale?
  15. Sweat's strange to thee, spit fails, and fail
  16. Phlegm and foul snivel from the nose.
  17. Add cleanness that aye cleanlier shows
  18. A bum than salt-pot cleanlier,
  19. Nor ten times cack'st in total year,
  20. And harder 'tis than pebble or bean
  21. Which rubbed in hand or crumbled, e'en
  22. On finger ne'er shall make unclean.
  23. Such blessings (Furius !) such a prize
  24. Never belittle nor despise;
  25. Hundred sesterces seek no more
  26. With wonted prayer—enow's thy store!
  1. O of Juventian youths the flowret fair
  2. Not of these only, but of all that were
  3. Or shall be, coming in the coming years,
  4. Better waste Midas' wealth (to me appears)
  5. On him that owns nor slave nor money-chest
  6. Than thou shouldst suffer by his love possest.
  7. "What! is he vile or not fair?" "Yes!" I attest,
  8. "Yet owns this man so comely neither slaves nor chest
  9. My words disdain thou or accept at best