Text and Translation

Metre - Sapphic Strophe

Line	Latin Text	English Translation
1	ille mi par esse deo videtur,	That man seems to me to be equal to a god,
2	ille, si fas est, superare divos,	he, if it is right to say, seems to surpass the gods,
3	qui sedens adversus identidem te	who sitting opposite you again and again
4	spectat et audit	looks at you and listens to you
5	dulce ridentem, misero quod omnis	laughing sweetly, this thing
6	eripit sensus mihi: nam simul te,	snatches away all feeling from love-sick me: for as soon as
7	Lesbia, aspexi, nihil est super mi...	I caught sight of you, Lesbia, nothing
8	vocis in ore	of my voice remains in my mouth
9	lingua sed torpet, tenuis sub artus	but my tongue is numb, a subtle flame
10	flamma demanat, sonitu suopte	flows down my limbs, with their own sound
11	tintinant aures, gemina teguntur	my ears are ringing, and my eyes are covered
12	lumina nocte.	in a twin night.
13	otium, Catulle, tibi molestum est:	leisure, Catullus is irksome to you:
14	otio exsultas nimiumque gestis:	in idleness you exult and get too excited:
15	otium et reges prius et beatas	before now idleness has destroyed both kings
16	perdidit urbes.	and wealthy cities.

Connotations Of The Text

Line 2

si fas est - if it is right to say

This is referring to the Gods, and trying to avoid blasphemy because Catullus is indicating that the man in the poem is better than a god.

Line 3

identidem - again and again

This conveys the poet's jealousy of the man being able to see and hear Lesbia over and over again.

sedens - sitting

This shows just how much Catullus needs Lesbia to please him. Just sitting with her is enough to make him happy, rather than requiring closer contact.

Line 4

spectat et audit - seeing and hearing

The two verbs are emphasised by their postions in the short line. The use of the two main senses, seeing and hearing indicates his wish to see and hear Lesbia.

Line 12

gemina nocte - twin night

This is an original way of saying that he cannot see. I.E. blindness brought on by Lesbia's stunning beauty.

Extra Notes

Line 7

vocis in ore - of my voice remains in my mouth

This line is a reconstructed line based on the metre, the original Sappho from which the poem is from and the sense of the last line. The language and grammar also fits. The person who suggested this was a German translator Döring.

Lines 13-16

This is thought to be part of another poem as there is clearly a break in the sense. However, the ancient monk who was copying this, may have copied the beginning of another poem on to the end of this one, resulting in the confusion.

Vocabulary

Line 1

par, paris (adj.) - equal; like

mi=mihi - me

Line 2

fas, n. - divine law; allowable; lawful

Line 6

eripio, eripere, eripui, ereptum - tear away; pull away

sensus, -us, m. - sense; feeling; perception

Line 7

aspicio, aspicere, aspexi - catch sight of; look at

supersum, -esse, -fui - remain still

Line 9

torpeo, torpere - to be numb; inactive

tenuis, -e (adj.) - slender; slim; fine

Line 10

demano, -are, -avi - flow down; descend

Line 11

tintino, tintinare - ring; humm; jingle; tingle; buzz

auris, auris, f. - ear; sense of hearing

tego, tegere, texi, tectum - cover; hide; conceal

Line 14

exsulto, -are, -avi, -atum - jump up; exult; boast

gestio, gestire, gestivi, gestitum - use excited gestures; be joyful

Line 15

prius (adv.) - in former times; formerly; before

External Links

Catullus 51 Catullus 51

Catullus 51 Another Translation of Catullus 51