The Poetry of Gaius Valerius Catullus/12
Text & Translation
[edit | edit source]Meter - Hendecasyllabic
| Line | Latin Text | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marrucine Asini, manu sinistra | Marrucinus Asinius, you do not use becomingly |
| 2 | non belle uteris: in ioco atque vino | your left hand: in jest and wine |
| 3 | tollis lintea neglegentiorum. | you carry away the napkins of the more careless. |
| 4 | Hoc salsum esse putas? Fugit te, inepte: | Do you think this is witty? You're crazy, foolish man: |
| 5 | quamvis sordida res et invenusta est. | it is a thing ever so mean and inelegant. |
| 6 | Non credis mihi? Crede Pollioni | You don't believe me? Believe Pollio |
| 7 | fratri, qui tua furta vel talento | your brother, who would have your thefts |
| 8 | mutari velit: est enim leporum | exchanged even for a talent: for he is |
| 9 | differtus puer ac facetiarum. | boy stuffed full of charms and wit. |
| 10 | Quare aut hendecasyllabos trecentos | Therefore either expect three hundred hendecasyllables |
| 11 | exspecta, aut mihi linteum remitte, | or send back my napkin to me, |
| 12 | quod me non movet aestimatione, | which does not move me by its value, |
| 13 | verum est mnemosynum mei sodalis. | but is a remembrance of my comrade. |
| 14 | Nam sudaria Saetaba ex Hiberis | For Saetabian napkins from Spain |
| 15 | miserunt mihi muneri Fabullus | Fabullus and Veranius sent to me |
| 16 | et Veranius: haec amem necesse est | as a gift: it is necessary that I love these things |
| 17 | ut Veraniolum meum et Fabullum. | just as I love my dear Veranius and Fabullus. |
External Links
[edit | edit source]- Catullus 12 A Translation of Catullus 12
- Catullus 12 Another Translation of Catullus 12