Carmina

Catullus

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

  1. Tho' were I wearied to each marrow bone
  2. And by many o' languors clean forgone
  3. Yet I to seek thee (friend!) would still assay.
  4. In such proud lodging (friend) wouldst self denay?
  5. Tell us where haply dwell'st thou, speak outright,
  6. Be bold and risk it, trusting truth to light,
  7. Say do these milk-white girls thy Steps detain?
  8. If aye in tight-sealed lips thy tongue remain,
  9. All Amor's fruitage thou shalt cast away:
  10. Verbose is Venus, loving verbal play!
  11. But, an it please thee, padlockt palate bear,
  12. So in your friendship I have partner-share.
  1. O risible matter (Cato!) and jocose,
  2. Digne of thy hearing, of thy sneering digne.
  3. Laugh (Cato!) an thou love Catullus thine;
  4. The thing is risible, nay, too jocose.
  5. Erstwhile I came upon a lad who a lass
  6. Was . . . and (so please it Dion!) I
  7. Pierced him with stiffest staff and did him die.
  1. Right well are paired these Cinaedes sans shame