Dost deem me capable of
speaking
ill of my life, she who is dearer to me
than are both mine eyes?
than are both mine eyes?
Catullus - Carmina
If aught be committed to secret faith from a friend to one whose inner
faith of soul is known, thou wilt find me to be of that sacred faith, O
Cornelius, and may'st deem me become an Harpocrates.
CIII.
Aut, sodes, mihi redde decem sestertia, Silo,
Deinde esto quamvis saevus et indomitus:
Aut, si te nummi delectant, desine quaeso
Leno esse atque idem saevus et indomitus.
CIII.
TO SILO.
Or, d'ye hear, refund those ten sestertia (Silo! )
Then be thou e'en at thy will surly and savage o' mood:
Or, an thou love o'er-well those moneys, prithee no longer
Prove thee a pimp and withal surly and savage o' mood.
Prithee, either return me my ten thousand sesterces, Silo; then be to thy
content surly and boorish: or, if the money allure thee, desist I pray thee
from being a pander and likewise surly and boorish.
CIIII.
Credis me potuisse meae maledicere vitae,
Ambobus mihi quae carior est oculis?
Non potui, nec si possem tam perdite amarem:
Sed tu cum Tappone omnia monstra facis.
CIIII.
CONCERNING LESBIA.
Canst thou credit that I could avail to revile my life-love,
She who be dearer to me even than either my eyes?
Ne'er could I, nor an I could, should I so losingly love her:
But with Tappo thou dost design every monstrous deed.
Dost deem me capable of speaking ill of my life, she who is dearer to me
than are both mine eyes? I could not, nor if I could, would my love be so
desperate: but thou with Tappo dost frame everything heinous.
CV.
Mentula conatur Pipleum scandere montem:
Musae furcillis praecipitem eiciunt.
CV.
ON MAMURRA.
Mentula fain would ascend Piplean mountain up-mounting:
Pitch him the Muses down headlong wi' forklets a-hurled.
Mentula presumes the Pimplean mount to scale: the Muses with their
pitchforks chuck him headlong down.
CVI.
Cum puero bello praeconem qui videt esse,
Quid credat, nisi se vendere discupere?
CVI.
THE AUCTIONEER AND THE FAIR BOY.
When with a pretty-faced boy we see one playing the Crier,
What can we wot except longs he for selling the same?
When with a comely lad a crier is seen to be, what may be thought save that
he longs to sell himself.
CVII.
Siquoi quid cupido optantique obtigit umquam
Insperanti, hoc est gratum animo proprie.
