Caelius Aufilenus and
Quintius
Aufilena,
Love to the death, both swains bloom of the youth Veronese,
This woo'd brother and that sue'd sister: so might the matter
Claim to be titled wi' sooth fairest fraternalest tie.
Love to the death, both swains bloom of the youth Veronese,
This woo'd brother and that sue'd sister: so might the matter
Claim to be titled wi' sooth fairest fraternalest tie.
Catullus - Carmina
10
Further, wretchedmost me betrayed to unfriendliest Love-god
Never thou ceased'st to pain hurting with every harm,
So that my taste be turned and kisses ambrosial erstwhile
Even than hellebore-juice bitterest bitterer grow.
Seeing such pangs as these prepared for unfortunate lover, 15
After this never again kiss will I venture to snatch.
I snatched from thee, whilst thou wast sporting, O honied Juventius, a kiss
sweeter than sweet ambrosia. But I bore it off not unpunished; for more
than an hour do I remember myself hung on the summit of the cross, whilst I
purged myself [for my crime] to thee, nor could any tears in the least
remove your anger. For instantly it was done, thou didst bathe thy lips
with many drops, and didst cleanse them with every finger-joint, lest
anything remained from the conjoining of our mouths, as though it were the
obscene slaver of a fetid fricatrice. Nay, more, thou hast handed wretched
me over to despiteful Love, nor hast thou ceased to agonize me in every
way, so that for me that kiss is now changed from ambrosia to be harsher
than harsh hellebore. Since thou dost award such punishment to wretched
amourist, never more after this will I steal kisses.
C.
Caelius Aufilenum et Quintius Aufilenam
Flos Veronensum depereunt iuvenum,
Hic fratrem, ille sororem. hoc est, quod dicitur, illud
Fraternum vere dulce sodalitium.
Cui faveam potius? Caeli, tibi: nam tua nobis 5
Per facta exhibitast unica amicitia,
Cum vesana meas torreret flamma medullas.
Sis felix, Caeli, sis in amore potens.
C.
ON CAELIUS AND QUINTIUS.
Caelius Aufilenus and Quintius Aufilena,
Love to the death, both swains bloom of the youth Veronese,
This woo'd brother and that sue'd sister: so might the matter
Claim to be titled wi' sooth fairest fraternalest tie.
Whom shall I favour the first? Thee (Caelius! ) for thou hast proved 5
Singular friendship to us shown by the deeds it has done,
Whenas the flames insane had madded me, firing my marrow:
Caelius! happy be thou; ever be lusty in love.
Caelius, Aufilenus; and Quintius, Aufilena;--flower of the Veronese
youth,--love desperately: this, the brother; that, the sister. This is, as
one would say, true brotherhood and sweet friendship. To whom shall I
incline the more? Caelius, to thee; for thy single devotion to us was shewn
by its deeds, when the raging flame scorched my marrow. Be happy, O
Caelius, be potent in love.
CI.
Multas per gentes et multa per aequora vectus
Advenio has miseras, frater, ad inferias,
Vt te postremo donarem munere mortis
Et mutam nequiquam adloquerer cinerem,
Quandoquidem fortuna mihi tete abstulit ipsum, 5
Heu miser indigne frater adempte mihi.
* * * *
Nunc tamen interea haec prisco quae more parentum
Tradita sunt tristes munera ad inferias,
Accipe fraterno multum manantia fletu,
Atque in perpetuom, frater, ave atque vale. 10
CI.
ON THE BURIAL OF HIS BROTHER.
Faring thro' many a folk and plowing many a sea-plain
These sad funeral-rites (Brother!
Further, wretchedmost me betrayed to unfriendliest Love-god
Never thou ceased'st to pain hurting with every harm,
So that my taste be turned and kisses ambrosial erstwhile
Even than hellebore-juice bitterest bitterer grow.
Seeing such pangs as these prepared for unfortunate lover, 15
After this never again kiss will I venture to snatch.
I snatched from thee, whilst thou wast sporting, O honied Juventius, a kiss
sweeter than sweet ambrosia. But I bore it off not unpunished; for more
than an hour do I remember myself hung on the summit of the cross, whilst I
purged myself [for my crime] to thee, nor could any tears in the least
remove your anger. For instantly it was done, thou didst bathe thy lips
with many drops, and didst cleanse them with every finger-joint, lest
anything remained from the conjoining of our mouths, as though it were the
obscene slaver of a fetid fricatrice. Nay, more, thou hast handed wretched
me over to despiteful Love, nor hast thou ceased to agonize me in every
way, so that for me that kiss is now changed from ambrosia to be harsher
than harsh hellebore. Since thou dost award such punishment to wretched
amourist, never more after this will I steal kisses.
C.
Caelius Aufilenum et Quintius Aufilenam
Flos Veronensum depereunt iuvenum,
Hic fratrem, ille sororem. hoc est, quod dicitur, illud
Fraternum vere dulce sodalitium.
Cui faveam potius? Caeli, tibi: nam tua nobis 5
Per facta exhibitast unica amicitia,
Cum vesana meas torreret flamma medullas.
Sis felix, Caeli, sis in amore potens.
C.
ON CAELIUS AND QUINTIUS.
Caelius Aufilenus and Quintius Aufilena,
Love to the death, both swains bloom of the youth Veronese,
This woo'd brother and that sue'd sister: so might the matter
Claim to be titled wi' sooth fairest fraternalest tie.
Whom shall I favour the first? Thee (Caelius! ) for thou hast proved 5
Singular friendship to us shown by the deeds it has done,
Whenas the flames insane had madded me, firing my marrow:
Caelius! happy be thou; ever be lusty in love.
Caelius, Aufilenus; and Quintius, Aufilena;--flower of the Veronese
youth,--love desperately: this, the brother; that, the sister. This is, as
one would say, true brotherhood and sweet friendship. To whom shall I
incline the more? Caelius, to thee; for thy single devotion to us was shewn
by its deeds, when the raging flame scorched my marrow. Be happy, O
Caelius, be potent in love.
CI.
Multas per gentes et multa per aequora vectus
Advenio has miseras, frater, ad inferias,
Vt te postremo donarem munere mortis
Et mutam nequiquam adloquerer cinerem,
Quandoquidem fortuna mihi tete abstulit ipsum, 5
Heu miser indigne frater adempte mihi.
* * * *
Nunc tamen interea haec prisco quae more parentum
Tradita sunt tristes munera ad inferias,
Accipe fraterno multum manantia fletu,
Atque in perpetuom, frater, ave atque vale. 10
CI.
ON THE BURIAL OF HIS BROTHER.
Faring thro' many a folk and plowing many a sea-plain
These sad funeral-rites (Brother!
