The Poems and Fragments of Catullus Part 6

1.

Vilest paper of all dishonour, annals Of Volusius, hear my lovely lady's

Vow, and pay it; awhile she swore to Venus And fond Cupid, if ever I returning Ceased from enmity, left to launch iambics, 5

She would surely devote the sorry poet's Choicest rarities unto sooty Vulcan, The lame deity, there to blaze lamenting.

With such drollery, such supreme defiance, Swore strange oath to the G.o.ds the naughty wanton. 10

2.

Now, O heavenly child of azure Ocean, Queen of Idaly, queen of Urian highlands,

Who Ancona the fair, the reedy Cnidos Hauntest, Amathus and the lawny Golgi, Or Dyrrhachium, hostel Adriatic; 15

Hear thy votaress, answer her pet.i.tion; 'Tis most graceful, a dainty thought to charm thee.

But ye verses, away to fire, to burning, Rank rusticities, empty vapid annals Of Volusius, heap of all dishonour. 20

x.x.xVII.

1.

O frowsy tavern, frowsy fellows.h.i.+p therein, Ninth post in order next beyond the twins cap-crown'd,

Shall manly service none but you alone employ, Shall you alone whatever in the world smiles fair, Possess it, every other hold to lack esteem? 5

Or if in idiot impotence arow you sit, One hundred, yes two hundred, am not I, think you, A man to bring mine action on your whole row there?

So think not, he that likes not; answer how you may, With scorpion I, with emblem all your haunt will scrawl. 10

2.

For she the bright one, lately fled beyond these arms, The maid belov'd as maiden is belov'd no more, Whom I to win, stood often in the breach, fought long,

Has sat amongst you. Her the grand, the great, all, all Do dearly love her; yea, beshrew the d.a.m.ned wrong, 15 Each slight seducer, every lounger highway-born,

You chiefly, peerless paragon of the tribe long-lock'd, Rude Celtiberia's child, the bushy rabbit-den,

Egnatius, so modish in the big bush-beard, And teeth a native lotion hardly scours quite pure. 20

x.x.xVIII.

Cornificius, ill is your Catullus, Ill, ah heaven, a weary weight of anguish, More more weary with every day, with each hour.

You deny me the least, the very lightest Help, one whisper of happy thought to cheer me. 5

Nay, I'm sorrowful. You to slight my pa.s.sion?

Ah! one word, but a tiny word to cheer me, Sad as ever a tear Simonidean.

x.x.xIX.

1.

Egnatius, spruce owner of superb white teeth, Smiles sweetly, smiles for ever: is the bench in view Where stands a pleader just prepar'd to rouse our tears,

Egnatius smiles sweetly; near the pyre they mourn Where weeps a mother o'er the lost, the kind one son, 5 Egnatius smiles sweetly; what the time or place

Or thing soe'er, smiles sweetly; such a rare complaint Is his, not handsome, scarce to please the town, say I.

2.

So take a warning for the nonce, my friend; town-bred Were you, a Sabine hale, a pearly Tiburtine, 10 A frugal Umbrian body, Tuscan huge of paunch,

A grim Lanuvian black of hue, prodigious-tooth'd, A Transpadane, my country not to pa.s.s untax'd, In short whoever cleanly cares to rinse foul teeth,

Yet sweetly smiling ever I would have you not, 15 For silly laughter, it's a silly thing indeed.

3.

Well: you're a Celtiberian; in the parts thereby What pa.s.s'd the night in water, every man, come dawn, Scours clean the foul teeth with it and the gums rose-red;

So those Iberian snowy teeth, the more they s.h.i.+ne, 20 So much the deeper they proclaim the draught impure.

XL.

What fatality, what chimera drives thee Headlong, Ravidus, on to my iambics?

What fell deity, most malign to listen, Fires thy fury to quarrel unavailing?

Wouldst thou busy the breath of half the people? 5 Break with clamour at any cost the silence?

Thou wilt do it; a wretch that hop'd my darling Love to fondle, a sure retaliation.

XLI.

Ameana, the maiden of the people, Asks me sesterces, all the many thousands.

Maiden she with a nose not wholly faultless, Bankrupt Formian, your declar'd devotion.

Wherefore look to the maiden, her relations: 5 Call her family, summon all the doctors.

Your poor maiden is oddly touch'd; a mirror Sure would lend her a soberer reflexion.