Catullus 91 Translation
Introduction |
The poet addresses Gellius in Catullus 91. In it, he addresses Gellius and how he had a relationship with a woman who was not a mother or a sister of his. In lines one and two, Catullus hoped that Gellius would be true to him through the miserable and ruinous love. In line three, Catullus wrote about how he did not think he knew Gellius or thought him honorable. Catullus knew that Gellius was base and villainous.
What bothers Catullus is that this woman who was consuming him was not related to him. After reading Catullus’s other poems, readers might assume that he is writing about Lesbia. Catullus often wrote about how Lesbia consumed him.
In lines seven and eight, Catullus wrote about how he was connected to Gellius, but only through friendship and a familiar one. He did not think it was enough reason for Gellius, but he leaves the sentence there. In lines nine and ten, Catullus addresses what Gellius needs a reason: delighting in a dishonorable vice.
Catullus thought that his love, Lesbia, was safe from the pursuit of Gellius since his previous relationships were with his mother and sister. But, it seems that Gellius had sexual relations with Lesbia. According to Catullus, the man has no honor and has a sexual appetite that is unhealthy – like a vice or a need that must be constantly sated.
Since this poem is most likely about Gellius having sexual relations with Lesbia, it is easy to understand why Catullus hates him so much. Catullus does not respect him for having incestuous relationships, but the relations with Lesbia would have added to his disdain. Catullus shows how much he hates Gellius by using terms like baseness, villainy, ruinous, and miserable. It would be horrible for Catullus to continue to be reminded of this relationship every time he saw Lesbia.
Carmen 91 |
| Line | Latin text | English translation |
|---|---|---|
1 | NON ideo, Gelli, sperabam te mihi fidum | I HOPED, Gellius, that you would be true to me |
2 | in misero hoc nostro, hoc perdito amore fore, | in this miserable, this ruinous love of mine, |
3 | quod te cognossem bene constantemue putarem | not on the ground that I knew you, or thought that you were truly honourable |
4 | aut posse a turpi mentem inhibere probro; | or could restrain your mind from baseness or villainy, |
5 | sed neque quod matrem nec germanam esse uidebam | but because I saw that she, whose mighty love was consuming me, |
6 | hanc tibi, cuius me magnus edebat amor. | was neither mother nor sister of yours. |
7 | et quamuis tecum multo coniungerer usu, | And although I was connected with you by much familiar friendship, |
8 | non satis id causae credideram esse tibi. | I had not thought that that was reason enough for you. |
9 | tu satis id duxti: tantum tibi gaudium in omni | You thought it enough: so much delight do you take in any |
10 | culpa est, in quacumque est aliquid sceleris. | vice in which there is something of dishonour. |
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Resources |
VRoma Project: http://www.vroma.org/~hwalker/VRomaCatullus/091.html
