Carmina

Catullus

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

  1. In dock, when pleader would draw tears, the while
  2. He grins. When pious son at funeral pile
  4. Mourns, or lone mother sobs for sole lost son,
  5. He grins. Whate'er, whene'er, howe'er is done,
  6. Of deed he grins. Such be his malady,
  7. Nor kind, nor courteous-so beseemeth me—
  8. Then take thou good Egnatius, rede of mine!
  9. Wert Thou Corrupt Sabine Or A Tiburtine,
  10. Stuffed Umbrian or Tuscan overgrown
  11. Swarthy Lanuvian with his teeth-rows shown,
  12. Transpadan also, that mine own I touch,
  13. Or any washing teeth to shine o'er much,
  14. Yet thy incessant grin I would not see,
  15. For naught than laughter silly sillier be.
  16. Thou Celtiber art, in Celtiberia born,
  17. Where man who's urined therewith loves a-morn
  18. His teeth and ruddy gums to scour and score;
  19. So the more polisht are your teeth, the more
  20. Argue they sipping stale in ampler store.
  1. What thought of folly Rávidus (poor churl!)