Catullus 68 Translation

Introduction

Carmen 68

1

QVOD mihi fortuna casuque oppressus acerbo

THAT YOU, weighed down as you are by fortune and bitter chance,

2

conscriptum hoc lacrimis mittis epistolium,

should send me this letter written with tears,

3

naufragum ut eiectum spumantibus aequoris undis

to bid me succour a shipwrecked man cast up by the foaming waters of the sea,

4

subleuem et a mortis limine restituam,

and restore him from the threshold of death,

5

quem neque sancta Venus molli requiescere somno

whom neither does holy Venus suffer to rest,

6

desertum in lecto caelibe perpetitur,

deserted in his widowed bed,

7

nec ueterum dulci scriptorum carmine Musae

nor do the Muses charm him with the sweet poetry of ancient writers,

8

oblectant, cum mens anxia peruigilat:

when his mind keeps anxious vigil;

9

id gratum est mihi, me quoniam tibi dicis amicum,

this is grateful to me, since you call me your friend,

10

muneraque et Musarum hinc petis et Veneris.

and come to me for the gifts both of the Muses and of Love.

11

sed tibi ne mea sint ignota incommoda, Mani,

But, dear Manius, that my troubles may not be unknown to you,

12

neu me odisse putes hospitis officium,

and that you may not think I am tired of the duty of a friend,

13

accipe, quis merser fortunae fluctibus ipse,

let me tell you what are the waves of fortune in which I too am whelmed;

14

ne amplius a misero dona beata petas.

so will you not again require gifts of happiness from one who is unblest.

15

tempore quo primum uestis mihi tradita pura est,

At the time when first a white toga was given to me,

16

iucundum cum aetas florida uer ageret,

when my youth in its flower was keeping jocund springtime,

17

multa satis lusi: non est dea nescia nostri,

I wrote merry poems enough; not unknown am I to the goddess

18

quae dulcem curis miscet amaritiem.

who mingles with her cares a sweet bitterness.

19

sed totum hoc studium luctu fraterna mihi mors

But all care for this is gone from me by my brother’s death.

20

abstulit. o misero frater adempte mihi,

Ah me unhappy, who have lost you, my brother!

21

tu mea tu moriens fregisti commoda, frater,

You, brother, you by your death have destroyed my happiness;

22

tecum una tota est nostra sepulta domus,

with you all my house is buried.

23

omnia tecum una perierunt gaudia nostra,

With you all my joys have died,

24

quae tuus in uita dulcis alebat amor.

which your sweet love cherished, while yet you lived.

25

cuius ego interitu tota de mente fugaui

By reason of your death, I have banished from all my mind

26

haec studia atque omnes delicias animi.

these thoughts and all the pleasures of my heart.

27

quare, quod scribis Veronae turpe Catullo

And so, when you write, “It is no credit to Catullus to be at Verona;

28

esse, quod hic quisquis de meliore nota

because here, where I an, all the young men of better condition

29

frigida deserto tepefactet membra cubili,

warm their cold limbs in the bed deserted by you;

30

id, Mani, non est turpe, magis miserum est.

that, Manius, is rather a misfortune than a discredit.

31

ignosces igitur si, quae mihi luctus ademit,

You will forgive me then, if I do not render to you those services

32

haec tibi non tribuo munera, cum nequeo.

which grief has taken from me at a time when I cannot do it.

33

nam, quod scriptorum non magna est copia apud me,

For as for my not having plenty of authors at hand,

34

hoc fit, quod Romae uiuimus: illa domus,

that is because I live at Rome: that is my home,

35

illa mihi sedes, illic mea carpitur aetas;

that is my abode, there my life is spent;

36

huc una ex multis capsula me sequitur.

when I come here only one small box out of many attends me.

37

quod cum ita sit, nolim statuas nos mente maligna

And since this is so, I would not have you judge that it is due to niggardly mind

38

id facere aut animo non satis ingenuo,

or ungenerous temper, that you have not received

39

quod tibi non utriusque petenti copia posta est:

a full supply of what you ask of each kind:

40

ultro ego deferrem, copia siqua foret.

I would have offered it unasked, if I had any such resources.

41

Non possum reticere, deae, qua me Allius in re

I CANNOT, O ye goddesses, refrain from telling what the matter was in which Allius

42

iuuerit aut quantis iuuerit officiis,

helped me, and how greatly he helped me by his services,

43

ne fugiens saeclis obliuiscentibus aetas

lest time flying with forgetful ages

44

illius hoc caeca nocte tegat studium:

hide in blind night this kindly zeal of his.

45

sed dicam uobis, uos porro dicite multis

But to you I will tell it; do you hand on the tale to many thousands,

46

milibus et facite haec carta loquatur anus.

and let the paper speak this in its old age.

47

[…]

[missing line]

48

notescatque magis mortuus atque magis,

and let him be famous more and more in death;

49

nec tenuem texens sublimis aranea telam

and let not the spider who weaves her thin web aloft spread her work

50

in deserto Alli nomine opus faciat.

over the neglected name of Allius.

51

nam, mihi quam dederit duplex Amathusia curam,

For how much sorrow of heart the wily goddess of Amathus gave me,

52

scitis, et in quo me torruerit genere,

ye know, and in what fashion she scorched me.

53

cum tantum arderem quantum Trinacria rupes

When I was burning as hotly as the Trinacrian rock

54

lymphaque in Oetaeis Malia Thermopylis,

and the Malian water at Oetean Thermopylae,

55

maesta neque assiduo tabescere lumina fletu

when my sad eyes never rested from wasting with perpetual tears,

56

cessarent. tristique imbre madere genae.

nor my cheeks from streaming with a flood of sorrow;

57

qualis in aerii perlucens uertice montis

as at the top of a lofty mountain

58

riuus muscoso prosilit e lapide,

a bright stream leaps forth from a mossgrown rock,

59

qui cum de prona praeceps est ualle uolutus,

and gushing headlong down the steep valley

60

per medium densi transit iter populi,

crosses the mid way thronged by the people,

61

dulce uiatori lasso in sudore leuamen,

a sweet solace in his labour to the weary wayfarer

62

cum grauis exustos aestus hiulcat agros:

when sultry heat makes the parched fields to gape;

63

hic, uelut in nigro iactatis turbine nautis

and as to mariners tossed by the black storm

64

lenius aspirans aura secunda uenit

comes a favouring breeze with gentler breath,

65

iam prece Pollucis, iam Castoris implorata,

sought by prayer now to Pollux, now to Castor,

66

tale fuit nobis Allius auxilium.

such an aid to me was Allius;

67

is clausum lato patefecit limite campum,

he opened a broad track across the fenced field,

68

isque domum nobis isque dedit dominae,

he gave me access to a house and its mistress,

69

ad quam communes exerceremus amores.

under whose roof we should together enjoy each our own love.

70

quo mea se molli candida diua pede

Thither my fair goddess delicately stepped,

71

intulit et trito fulgentem in limine plantam

and set the sole of her shining foot on the smooth threshold,

72

innixa arguta constituit solea,

as she pressed on her slender sandal;

73

coniugis ut quondam flagrans aduenit amore

even as once Laodamia came burning with love

74

Protesilaeam Laodamia domum

to the house of Protesilaus,

75

inceptam frustra, nondum cum sanguine sacro

that house begun in vain, since not yet had a victim’s sacred blood

76

hostia caelestis pacificasset eros.

appeased the Lords of heaven.

77

nil mihi tam ualde placeat, Ramnusia uirgo,

Lady of Rhamnus, never may that please me

78

quod temere inuitis suscipiatur eris.

which is undertaken amiss without the will of our Lords.

79

quam ieiuna pium desiderat ara cruorem,

How much the starved altar craves for the blood of pious sacrifices,

80

docta est amisso Laudamia uiro,

Laodamia learnt by the loss of her husband;

81

coniugis ante coacta noui dimittere collum,

forced to loose her arms from the neck of her new spouse,

82

quam ueniens una atque altera rursus hiems

before the coming of one and then a second winter

83

noctibus in longis auidum saturasset amorem,

with its long nights should content her passionate love,

84

posset ut abrupto uiuere coniugio,

that she might endure to live, though her husband was taken from her;

85

quod scibant Parcae non longo tempore abesse,

and this the Fates knew would come in no long time,

86

si miles muros isset ad Iliacos.

if once he went as a soldier to the walls of Ilium.

87

nam tum Helenae raptu primores Argiuorum

For then it was, because of the rape of Helen, that Troy began

88

coeperat ad sese Troia ciere uiros,

to summon against herself the chieftains of the Argives,

89

Troia (nefas!) commune sepulcrum Asiae Europaeque,

Troy — O horror! — the common grave of Europe and Asia,

90

Troia uirum et uirtutum omnium acerba cinis,

Troy the untimely tomb of all heroes and heroic deeds:

91

quaene etiam nostro letum miserabile fratri

Troy brought pitiable death to my brother also;

92

attulit. ei misero frater adempte mihi

alas! my brother, taken from me unhappy,

93

ei misero fratri iucundum lumen ademptum,

alas! dear light of my eyes, taken from thy unhappy brother:

94

tecum una tota est nostra sepulta domus,

with thee now is all my house buried;

95

omnia tecum una perierunt gaudia nostra,

all my joys have perished together with thee,

96

quae tuus in uita dulcis alebat amor.

which while thou wert alive thy sweet love cherished.

97

quem nunc tam longe non inter nota sepulcra

Thee now far, far away, not among familiar graves,

98

nec prope cognatos compositum cineres,

nor laid to rest near the ashes of thy kinsfolk,

99

sed Troia obscena, Troia infelice sepultum

but buried in hateful Troy, illomened Troy,

100

detinet extremo terra aliena solo.

a foreign land holds in a distant soil.

101

ad quam tum properans fertur undique pubes

To Troy at that time all the youth of Greece is said to have hastened together,

102

Graecae penetralis deseruisse focos,

deserting their hearths and homes,

103

ne Paris abducta gauisus libera moecha

that Paris might not enjoy undisturbed leisure in a peaceful chamber,

104

otia pacato degeret in thalamo.

rejoicing in the abduction of his paramour.

105

quo tibi tum casu, pulcerrima Laudamia,

By that sad chance then, fairest Laodamia,

106

ereptum est uita dulcius atque anima

wast thou bereft of thy husband, sweeter to thee than life and soul;

107

coniugium: tanto te absorbens uertice amoris

so strong the tide of love, so whelming the eddy that bore thee

108

aestus in abruptum detulerat barathrum,

into the sheer abyss, deep as that gulf

109

quale ferunt Grai Pheneum prope Cylleneum

which (say the Greeks) near Cyllenian Pheneus

110

siccare emulsa pingue palude solum,

drains away the swamp, and dries up the rich soil

111

quod quondam caesis montis fodisse medullis

which of old the falsefathered son of Amphitryon is said

112

audit falsiparens Amphitryoniades,

to have dug out, cutting away the heart of the hill,

113

tempore quo certa Stymphalia monstra sagitta

what time with sure shaft he hit the monsters of Stymphalus

114

perculit imperio deterioris eri,

at the bidding of a meaner lord,

115

pluribus ut caeli tereretur ianua diuis,

that the door of heaven might be frequented by more gods,

116

Hebe nec longa uirginitate foret.

and that Hebe might not long be unmated.

117

sed tuus altus amor barathro fuit altior illo,

But deeper than that gulf was thy deep love,

118

qui tamen indomitam ferre iugum docuit.

which taught thee though untamed to bear the yoke.

119

nam nec tam carum confecto aetate parenti

Not so dear to her agestricken parent

120

una caput seri nata nepotis alit,

is the head of the lateborn grandchild which his only daughter nurses,

121

qui cum diuitiis uix tandem iuuentus auitis

who, scarce at length appearing as an heir to ancestral wealth,

122

nomen testatas intulit in tabulas,

and having his name brought into the witnessed tablets,

123

impia derisi gentilis gaudia tollens,

puts an end to the unnatural joy of the kinsman, now in his turn derided,

124

suscitat a cano uolturium capiti:

and drives away the vulture that waits for the hoary head;

125

nec tantum niueo gauisa est ulla columbo

nor did ever dove delight so much in her snowy mate,

126

compar, quae multo dicitur improbius

though the dove bites and bills and snatches kisses

127

oscula mordenti semper decerpere rostro,

more wantonly than any woman,

128

quam quae praecipue multiuola est mulier.

be she amorous beyond others’ measure.

129

sed tu horum magnos uicisti sola furores,

You alone surpassed the passion of these,

130

ut semel es flauo conciliata uiro.

when once you were matched with your goldenhaired husband.

131

aut nihil aut paulum cui tum concedere digna

Even so kind, or but little less, was she,

132

lux mea se nostrum contulit in gremium,

my bright one, who came into my arms;

133

quam circumcursans hinc illinc saepe Cupido

and often around her flitting hither and thither Cupid

134

fulgebat crocina candidus in tunica.

shone fair in vest of saffron hue.

135

quae tamen etsi uno non est contenta Catullo,

And though she is not content with Catullus alone,

136

rara uerecundae furta feremus erae

I will bear the faults, for few they are, of my modest mistress,

137

ne nimium simus stultorum more molesti.

lest we become as tiresome as jealous fools.

138

saepe etiam Iuno, maxima caelicolum,

Juno, too, greatest of the heavenly ones,

139

coniugis in culpa flagrantem concoquit iram,

often keeps down her anger for her husband’s fault,

140

noscens omniuoli plurima furta Iouis.

as she learns the many loves of all amorous Jove.

141

atqui nec diuis homines componier aequum est,

Yet since it is not fit that men should be compared with gods,

142

ingratum tremuli tolle parentis onus.

away, then, with the hateful severity of an anxious father.

143

nec tamen illa mihi dextra deducta paterna

And after all she did not come for me led by her father’s band

144

fragrantem Assyrio uenit odore domum,

into a house fragrant with Assyrian odours,

145

sed furtiua dedit mira munuscula nocte,

but gave me in the wondrous night sweet stolen gifts,

146

ipsius ex ipso dempta uiri gremio.

taken from the very bosom of her husband himself.

147

quare illud satis est, si nobis is datur unis

Wherefore it is enough if to me alone is granted

148

quem lapide illa dies candidiore notat.

the day which she marks with a whiter stone.

149

hoc tibi, quod potui, confectum carmine munus

This gift — ’twas all I could — set forth in verse

150

pro multis, Alli, redditur officiis,

is returned to you, Allius, for many kind offices;

151

ne uestrum scabra tangat rubigine nomen

lest this and that day, and another and another

152

haec atque illa dies atque alia atque alia.

should touch your name with corroding rust.

153

huc addent diui quam plurima, quae Themis olim

To this the gods will add those countless gifts which Themis of old

154

antiquis solita est munera ferre piis.

was wont to give to pious men of ancient time.

155

sitis felices et tu simul et tua uita,

May ye be happy, both you, and with you your dear Life,

156

et domus illa in qua lusimus et domina,

and the house in which you and I sported, and its mistress,

157

et qui principio nobis terram dedit aufert,

and he who first [ gave and takes land?] for us,

158

a quo sunt primo omnia nata bona,

from whom first all those good things had their springing for me.

159

et longe ante omnes mihi quae me carior ipso est,

And far before all, she who is dearer to me than myself,

160

lux mea, qua uiua uiuere dulce mihi est.

my Light, whose life alone makes it sweet to me to live.

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