] In these verses I have
followed
the reading
of Voss, who gives this explanation; "credo te 6
passer, nescio quid carum jocari cum meo desiderio
niienti i.
of Voss, who gives this explanation; "credo te 6
passer, nescio quid carum jocari cum meo desiderio
niienti i.
Catullus - Hubbard - Poems
Sg
O Di, reddite mi hoc pro pietate mea,
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? CATULLUS. L1H. 83
i
CARMEN LI.
Ad Rufum.
Rufe, mihi frustra ac nequidquam credite amice;
Frustra 1 immo magno cum pretio atque malo;
Siccine. subrepsti mi, atque, intestina perurens,
Mi misero eripuisti omnia nostra bona?
Eripuisti. Heu! heu nostrae crudele venenum 5
Vitae! heu! heu nostrae pestis amicitiae!
CARMEN LII.
In Lesbium.
Lesbius est pulcher: quidni 1 quem Lesbia
malit,
Quam te cum tota gente, Catulle, tua.
Sed tamen hic pulcher vendat cum gente Catul-
lum,
Si tria notorum suavia reppererit.
- CARMEN LIII.
Ad Juventium.
Nemone in tanto potuit populo esse, Juventi,
Bellus homo, quem tu diligere inciperes,
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? 84 CATULLUS. LV.
>
Praeterquam iste tuus moribunda a sede Pisa jri
Hospes, inaurata pallidior statua?
Qui tibi nunc cordi est; quem tu praeponere
nobis 5
Audes. Ah! nescis, quod facinus faciast
i
CARMEN LIV.
Ad Quintium.
Quinti, si tibi vis oculos debere Catullum,
Aut aliud, siquid carius est oculis;
Eripere ei noli, multo quod carius illi
Est oculis, siquid carius est oculis.
CARMEN LV.
De Arrio.
i Chommoda dicebat, si quando commoda vellet
Dicere, et hinsidias. Arrius insidias;
Et tum mirifice sperabat se esse locutum,
Cum, quantum poterat, dixerat hinsidias.
Credo, sic mater, sic Liber avunculus ejus, 5
Sic maternus avus dixerit, atque avia.
Hoc misso in Syriam, requierant omnibus aures;
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? CATULLUS. LVII. 85
Audibant eadem haec leniter et leviter;
Nec sibi postilla metuebant talia verba,
Cum subito affertur nuntius horribilis, 10
Ionios fluctus, postqaam illuc Arrius isset,
Jam non Ionios esse, sed Hionios.
CARMEN LVI.
Dc Amore suo.
Odi et amo. Quare id faciam, fortasse requiris.
Nescio: sed fieri sentio, et excrucior.
CARMEN LVII.
De Quintid et Lesbid.
Ciuintia formosa est multis: mihi candida, longa,
Recta est. Hoc ego: sic singula confiteor.
Totum illud, formosa, nego: nam nulla venustas,
Nulla in tam magno est corpore mica salis.
Lesbia formosa est; qua e cum pulcherrima tota
est, 5
Tum omnibus una omnes surripuit Veneres.
f
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? S6 CATULLUS. LX.
CARMEN LVIII.
De Lesbid.
Lesbia mi dicit semper male, nec tacet unquam
De me: Lesbia me, dispeream, nisi amat.
Cluo signo? quasi non totidem mox deprecor illi
Assidue: verum dispeream, nisi amo.
CARMEN LIX.
In Casarem.
Nil nimium studeo, Caesar, tibi velle placere,
Nec scire, utrum sis albus an ater homo.
CARMEN LX.
De Smyrna Cinnce Poetce.
"Smyrna" mei Cinnae nonam post denique
messem,
Quam cqepta est,nonamque editaposthiemem;
Millia cum interea quingenta Hortensius uno
*****
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? CATULLUS. LXII. 87
Smyrna cavas Atacis penitus mittetur. ad un-
das; 5
Smyrnam incana diu saecula pervoliient.
At Volusi annates [Paduam morientur ad ipsam,]
Et laxas scombris saepe dabunt tunicas.
Parva mei mihi sunt cordi monimenta [laboris ;]
At populus tumido gaudeat Antimacho. 10
CARMEN LXI.
Ad Calvum, de Quintilid.
Si quidquara mutisgratum acceptumque sepulcris'
Accidere a nostro, Calve, dolore potest,
Quo desiderio veteres renovamus amores,
Atque olim amissas flemus amicitias;
Certe non tanto mors immatura dolori est . &
Quintilix, quantum gaudet amore tuo.
CARMEN LXII.
InfericE ad Fratris Tumulum.
Multas per gentes et multa per aequora vectus,
Adveni has miseras, frater, ad inferias,
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? 88 CATULLUS. LXIV.
Ut te postremo donarem munere mortis,
Et mutum nequidquam alloquerer cinerem;
Quandoquidem fortuna mihi tete abstulit ipsum, 5
Heu, miser indigne frater ademte mihi!
Nunc tamen interea prisco quae more parentum
Tradita sunt tristes munera ad inferias,
Accipe, fraterno multum manantia fletu:
Atque in perpetuum, frater, ave, atque vale. 10
CARMEN LXIII.
Ad Cornelium.
Si quidquam tacito commissum est fido ab amico,
Quojus sit penitus nota fides animi;
Me unum esse invenies illorum jure sacratum,
Corneli, et factum me esse puta Harpocratem.
CARMEN LXIV.
Ad Lesbiam.
Si quidquam cupidoque optantique obtigit un-
quam, et
Insperanti, hoc est gratum animo proprie:
Quare hoc est gratum, nobis quoque carius auro,
Quod te restituis, Lesbia, mi cupido.
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? CATULLUS. LXVI. 89
Restituis cupido, atque insperanti ipsa refers te 5
Nobis. O lucem candidiore nota!
Quis me uno vivit felicior? aut magis hac quid
Optandum vita dicere quis poterit 1
CARMEN LXV.
In Cominium.
Si, Comini, populi arbitrio tua cana senectus
Spurcata impuris moribus intereat;
Non equidem dubito, quin primum inimica bo
norum
Lingua exsecta avido sit data volturio;
Effossos oculos voret atro gutture corvus, 5
Intestina canes, caetera membra lupi.
CARMEN LXVI.
Ad Lesbiam.
Jucundum, mea vita, mihi proponis amorem
Hunc nostrum inter nos, perpetuumque fore.
Di magni, facite, ut vere promittere possit;
Atque id sincere dicat, et ex animo;
8
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? 90 CATULLUS. LXV1I1.
Ut liceat nobis tota producere vita
JEternum hoc sanctae fcedus amicitiae.
CARMEN LXVII.
Ad Gellium.
Saepe tibi studioso animo venanda requirens
Carmina uti possem mittere Battiadae,
Quis te lenirem nobis, neu conarere
Infestum telis icere, musca, caput;
Hunc video mihi nunc frustra sumtum esse Ia-
borem, &
Gelli, nec nostras hinc valuisse preces.
Contra, nos tela ista tua evitamus amictu:
At, fixus nostris, tu dabi' supplicium.
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? NOTES.
CARMEN 1.
To Cornelius Nepos.
Catullus in these verses dedicates his volume of
poems to Corn. Nepos, on account of the interest
he had shown, in what Catullus modestly calls "his
trifles," and the commendations he had bestowed
upon them, in the midst of his own learned and la-
borious occupations.
1. Q<<oi] i. q. cui.
6. Omne . . . chartis] a general history in three
volumes.
9. patrona Virgo] 'Minerva,' the patroness of
wits. Voss reads patroa, meaning Vesta, to whom
the first fruits were offered. Vide Ovid Fasti, 6,304.
CARMEN U.
To the Sparrow of Lesbia.
Catullus mentions the various endearments a
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? 92 NOTES.
sports with her favorite bird, with which Lesbia was
wont to amuse herself, and soothe the ardor of her
passion; and the delight with which he could in-
dulge the same playful fondness. The lady whom
he so often addresses under the name of Lesbia,
was named Clodia, the sister, it is supposed, of the
infamous Clodius.
7, 8.
] In these verses I have followed the reading
of Voss, who gives this explanation; "credo te 6
passer, nescio quid carum jocari cum meo desiderio
niienti i. e. cum puella mea, et similiter credo te sola-
tiolum esse sui doloris, ut gravis ejus ardor acqui-
escat. " Sillig reads,
Et solatiolum sui doloris
Credo, ut, quum gravis acquiescet ardor
Tecum ludere sicut ipsa possem, Sfc.
making solatiolum and carum quid accusatives de-
pendent on jocari, and introducing the apodosis of
the sentence with ut quum; ut for utinam.
11. puella] Atalanta, vide Ovid Met. Lib. 10.
CARMEN III.
A lament on the death of the Sparrow.
2. quantum . . hominum] conf. Carmen ii. v. 7.
10. pipilabat] i. q. pipiabat.
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? NOTES. 93
CARMEN IV.
The Dedication of the Barque.
The bargue of Catullus which had borne him
safely through the stormy and perilous seas from
Pontus, and was now gratefully consecrated to the
sailor's gods, recounts its own history and its own
praises. The poet points out (quern videtis) the
offering to his friends, as they pass by the Temple
where it is hung.
1. Phaselus] Grace <Pugr,log a bean, a long, slen-
der kind of vessel, distinguished by the form of its
prow, which was long and extended obliquely over
the water, now and for a long time in common use
in the Mediterranean.
3, 4. Neque . . . Nequisse] Two negatives, 'to
have been able. '
13. Amastri] 'Amastris,' now Pamastro, a city of
Paphlagonia. Cytore] Virgil, 2d Georgic, 437.
18. impotentia] without self-control, i. e. ' raging. '
So Carmen 25, v. 12. impotente amore.
22. litoralibus Diis] No particular class of deities
is designated by the epithet Morales. Temples were
erected on many shores, and promontories dedicated
to various divinities, towards which the mariner of-
fered his prayer, and where he paid his vows. Neque
ullavota] Because of the entire security the sailors
felt in the excellence of their vessel. Vows were
made only in the apprehension of extreme danger.
8*
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? 94
NOTES.
24. Novissimo] 'farthest,' in compliance with a
notion of the early Greeks, who supposed Colchis to
be the eastern limit of the world. Vide Ovid Trist.
3, 13,27 ; so Carm. 38, v. 4. casu novissimo,' the last
(farthest) extremity of distress;' novissimum agmen,
'the rear. ' Livy, Lib. 21, 35. lacum] The Ben-
acus, near which was Sirmio, the residence of Ca-
tullus. Vide notes to Carm. 23.
CARMEN V.
To Lesbia.
A graceful expression of a genuine Anacreontic
sentiment, persuading her to indulge the delights
of mutual affection, by urging the shortness of life,
and the everlasting sleep which follows.
11. ne sciamus] That we may begin a new series.
13. cum sciat] He fears the fascination of some
looker on. But no witness could harm them, un-
less he knew the name or the number of the thing
to become the subject of his enchantments.
CARMEN VI.
To Lesbia.
A reply to Lesbia's question, how many kisses
would satisfy his love.
4. Laserpiciferis] 'producing' benzoin, a plant
much used for medicinal purposes. The best was
produced in Cyrenaica. Pliny, Nat, Hist. xix. 15.
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? NOTES. 95
5. astuosi] from the great heat of the surround-
ing region; or perhaps from a spring there of a pe-
culiar and changeable temperature. --Arrian Exped.
Alex. Lib. 3, Sec. 4.
6. Batti] The first of that name, who emigrated
from Therae, and founded the royal family of the
Battiadae. Herodotus, Lib. 4, Sec. 150--159.
9. basia basiare] The verb beside its direct object
takes the accusative of a word of the same mean-
ing. This. construction is more common among
the Greeks, whom Catullus affects.
CARMEN VII.
To Verannius, on his return from Spain. Com-
pare Horace, Carm. Lib. 1, 36.
2. mihi] dativus commodi, 'in worth to me,' ' in
my estimation. '
CARMEN VIII.
The Mistress of Varrus.
Varrus, a friend of Catullus, finding him one day
sauntering in the forum, invited him to visit his
mistress. Among various topics of conversation,
they spoke of Bithynia, where Catullus had recently
served under Memmius. The natural inquiry being
started, how far he had enriched himself there, he
answered evasively, blaming the avarice of the
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? 96 NOTES.
pretors who governed the province; yet unwilling
to appear to the lady entirely unsuccessful, he tells
her that he had brought home half a dozen litter
bearers. The wanton desires to borrow them,
when the poet is compelled to get off with a lame
and confused apology.
1. Farri] Vulpius, Turnebus and some others read
Varus, and suppose the person here mentioned, to
be Alphenus Varus, one of the most subtle and
distinguished lawyers of his times--the same to
whom Carm. xxii. was addressed. Vide Horace
Sat. 3. Lib. 3. v. 130.
2. ad s. a. visum] the same as visum suos amores.
Thus Terence Hecyra, Act 1. Scene 2. v. 189, has a
similar construction, "nostra (domina) it visere ad
earn. " So Plautus Bacch. Act 3. Sc. 5. "lbo et
visam hue ad eum. "
4. JVbn illepidum] i not ungenteel. '
10. prcstoribus] The same province was some-
times occupied by more than one prator at once;
or the reference may be to successive prators.
12. irrumator] < avaricious. '
13. nee faceret pili] 'valued not a hair. ' Conf.
Carm. xii. v. 17.
14. illic natum] 'what is said to have originated
there. ' Cicero in Verrem, says "Nam ut mos fuit
Bithyniae regibus lectica octophoro ferebatur.
Verses 21, 22 and 23, are to be understood as a
parenthesis, introduced to inform those to whom he
V
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? NOTES. 97
is relating the adventure. "Conversus ad lectores. "
Vulp.
22. grabati] 'a small bed carried from place to
place. ' From the Greek xQu? ? arov, derived ac-
cording to Voss, from tni to xgoita Sairtir, quasi
xaga? uTov.
26. ad Serapin] The temple of Serapis was with-
out the city, and was frequented for licentious pur-
poses, and also for obtaining dream3 there, which it
was thought would aid in the recovery of health.
O Di, reddite mi hoc pro pietate mea,
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? CATULLUS. L1H. 83
i
CARMEN LI.
Ad Rufum.
Rufe, mihi frustra ac nequidquam credite amice;
Frustra 1 immo magno cum pretio atque malo;
Siccine. subrepsti mi, atque, intestina perurens,
Mi misero eripuisti omnia nostra bona?
Eripuisti. Heu! heu nostrae crudele venenum 5
Vitae! heu! heu nostrae pestis amicitiae!
CARMEN LII.
In Lesbium.
Lesbius est pulcher: quidni 1 quem Lesbia
malit,
Quam te cum tota gente, Catulle, tua.
Sed tamen hic pulcher vendat cum gente Catul-
lum,
Si tria notorum suavia reppererit.
- CARMEN LIII.
Ad Juventium.
Nemone in tanto potuit populo esse, Juventi,
Bellus homo, quem tu diligere inciperes,
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? 84 CATULLUS. LV.
>
Praeterquam iste tuus moribunda a sede Pisa jri
Hospes, inaurata pallidior statua?
Qui tibi nunc cordi est; quem tu praeponere
nobis 5
Audes. Ah! nescis, quod facinus faciast
i
CARMEN LIV.
Ad Quintium.
Quinti, si tibi vis oculos debere Catullum,
Aut aliud, siquid carius est oculis;
Eripere ei noli, multo quod carius illi
Est oculis, siquid carius est oculis.
CARMEN LV.
De Arrio.
i Chommoda dicebat, si quando commoda vellet
Dicere, et hinsidias. Arrius insidias;
Et tum mirifice sperabat se esse locutum,
Cum, quantum poterat, dixerat hinsidias.
Credo, sic mater, sic Liber avunculus ejus, 5
Sic maternus avus dixerit, atque avia.
Hoc misso in Syriam, requierant omnibus aures;
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? CATULLUS. LVII. 85
Audibant eadem haec leniter et leviter;
Nec sibi postilla metuebant talia verba,
Cum subito affertur nuntius horribilis, 10
Ionios fluctus, postqaam illuc Arrius isset,
Jam non Ionios esse, sed Hionios.
CARMEN LVI.
Dc Amore suo.
Odi et amo. Quare id faciam, fortasse requiris.
Nescio: sed fieri sentio, et excrucior.
CARMEN LVII.
De Quintid et Lesbid.
Ciuintia formosa est multis: mihi candida, longa,
Recta est. Hoc ego: sic singula confiteor.
Totum illud, formosa, nego: nam nulla venustas,
Nulla in tam magno est corpore mica salis.
Lesbia formosa est; qua e cum pulcherrima tota
est, 5
Tum omnibus una omnes surripuit Veneres.
f
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? S6 CATULLUS. LX.
CARMEN LVIII.
De Lesbid.
Lesbia mi dicit semper male, nec tacet unquam
De me: Lesbia me, dispeream, nisi amat.
Cluo signo? quasi non totidem mox deprecor illi
Assidue: verum dispeream, nisi amo.
CARMEN LIX.
In Casarem.
Nil nimium studeo, Caesar, tibi velle placere,
Nec scire, utrum sis albus an ater homo.
CARMEN LX.
De Smyrna Cinnce Poetce.
"Smyrna" mei Cinnae nonam post denique
messem,
Quam cqepta est,nonamque editaposthiemem;
Millia cum interea quingenta Hortensius uno
*****
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? CATULLUS. LXII. 87
Smyrna cavas Atacis penitus mittetur. ad un-
das; 5
Smyrnam incana diu saecula pervoliient.
At Volusi annates [Paduam morientur ad ipsam,]
Et laxas scombris saepe dabunt tunicas.
Parva mei mihi sunt cordi monimenta [laboris ;]
At populus tumido gaudeat Antimacho. 10
CARMEN LXI.
Ad Calvum, de Quintilid.
Si quidquara mutisgratum acceptumque sepulcris'
Accidere a nostro, Calve, dolore potest,
Quo desiderio veteres renovamus amores,
Atque olim amissas flemus amicitias;
Certe non tanto mors immatura dolori est . &
Quintilix, quantum gaudet amore tuo.
CARMEN LXII.
InfericE ad Fratris Tumulum.
Multas per gentes et multa per aequora vectus,
Adveni has miseras, frater, ad inferias,
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? 88 CATULLUS. LXIV.
Ut te postremo donarem munere mortis,
Et mutum nequidquam alloquerer cinerem;
Quandoquidem fortuna mihi tete abstulit ipsum, 5
Heu, miser indigne frater ademte mihi!
Nunc tamen interea prisco quae more parentum
Tradita sunt tristes munera ad inferias,
Accipe, fraterno multum manantia fletu:
Atque in perpetuum, frater, ave, atque vale. 10
CARMEN LXIII.
Ad Cornelium.
Si quidquam tacito commissum est fido ab amico,
Quojus sit penitus nota fides animi;
Me unum esse invenies illorum jure sacratum,
Corneli, et factum me esse puta Harpocratem.
CARMEN LXIV.
Ad Lesbiam.
Si quidquam cupidoque optantique obtigit un-
quam, et
Insperanti, hoc est gratum animo proprie:
Quare hoc est gratum, nobis quoque carius auro,
Quod te restituis, Lesbia, mi cupido.
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? CATULLUS. LXVI. 89
Restituis cupido, atque insperanti ipsa refers te 5
Nobis. O lucem candidiore nota!
Quis me uno vivit felicior? aut magis hac quid
Optandum vita dicere quis poterit 1
CARMEN LXV.
In Cominium.
Si, Comini, populi arbitrio tua cana senectus
Spurcata impuris moribus intereat;
Non equidem dubito, quin primum inimica bo
norum
Lingua exsecta avido sit data volturio;
Effossos oculos voret atro gutture corvus, 5
Intestina canes, caetera membra lupi.
CARMEN LXVI.
Ad Lesbiam.
Jucundum, mea vita, mihi proponis amorem
Hunc nostrum inter nos, perpetuumque fore.
Di magni, facite, ut vere promittere possit;
Atque id sincere dicat, et ex animo;
8
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? 90 CATULLUS. LXV1I1.
Ut liceat nobis tota producere vita
JEternum hoc sanctae fcedus amicitiae.
CARMEN LXVII.
Ad Gellium.
Saepe tibi studioso animo venanda requirens
Carmina uti possem mittere Battiadae,
Quis te lenirem nobis, neu conarere
Infestum telis icere, musca, caput;
Hunc video mihi nunc frustra sumtum esse Ia-
borem, &
Gelli, nec nostras hinc valuisse preces.
Contra, nos tela ista tua evitamus amictu:
At, fixus nostris, tu dabi' supplicium.
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? NOTES.
CARMEN 1.
To Cornelius Nepos.
Catullus in these verses dedicates his volume of
poems to Corn. Nepos, on account of the interest
he had shown, in what Catullus modestly calls "his
trifles," and the commendations he had bestowed
upon them, in the midst of his own learned and la-
borious occupations.
1. Q<<oi] i. q. cui.
6. Omne . . . chartis] a general history in three
volumes.
9. patrona Virgo] 'Minerva,' the patroness of
wits. Voss reads patroa, meaning Vesta, to whom
the first fruits were offered. Vide Ovid Fasti, 6,304.
CARMEN U.
To the Sparrow of Lesbia.
Catullus mentions the various endearments a
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? 92 NOTES.
sports with her favorite bird, with which Lesbia was
wont to amuse herself, and soothe the ardor of her
passion; and the delight with which he could in-
dulge the same playful fondness. The lady whom
he so often addresses under the name of Lesbia,
was named Clodia, the sister, it is supposed, of the
infamous Clodius.
7, 8.
] In these verses I have followed the reading
of Voss, who gives this explanation; "credo te 6
passer, nescio quid carum jocari cum meo desiderio
niienti i. e. cum puella mea, et similiter credo te sola-
tiolum esse sui doloris, ut gravis ejus ardor acqui-
escat. " Sillig reads,
Et solatiolum sui doloris
Credo, ut, quum gravis acquiescet ardor
Tecum ludere sicut ipsa possem, Sfc.
making solatiolum and carum quid accusatives de-
pendent on jocari, and introducing the apodosis of
the sentence with ut quum; ut for utinam.
11. puella] Atalanta, vide Ovid Met. Lib. 10.
CARMEN III.
A lament on the death of the Sparrow.
2. quantum . . hominum] conf. Carmen ii. v. 7.
10. pipilabat] i. q. pipiabat.
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? NOTES. 93
CARMEN IV.
The Dedication of the Barque.
The bargue of Catullus which had borne him
safely through the stormy and perilous seas from
Pontus, and was now gratefully consecrated to the
sailor's gods, recounts its own history and its own
praises. The poet points out (quern videtis) the
offering to his friends, as they pass by the Temple
where it is hung.
1. Phaselus] Grace <Pugr,log a bean, a long, slen-
der kind of vessel, distinguished by the form of its
prow, which was long and extended obliquely over
the water, now and for a long time in common use
in the Mediterranean.
3, 4. Neque . . . Nequisse] Two negatives, 'to
have been able. '
13. Amastri] 'Amastris,' now Pamastro, a city of
Paphlagonia. Cytore] Virgil, 2d Georgic, 437.
18. impotentia] without self-control, i. e. ' raging. '
So Carmen 25, v. 12. impotente amore.
22. litoralibus Diis] No particular class of deities
is designated by the epithet Morales. Temples were
erected on many shores, and promontories dedicated
to various divinities, towards which the mariner of-
fered his prayer, and where he paid his vows. Neque
ullavota] Because of the entire security the sailors
felt in the excellence of their vessel. Vows were
made only in the apprehension of extreme danger.
8*
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? 94
NOTES.
24. Novissimo] 'farthest,' in compliance with a
notion of the early Greeks, who supposed Colchis to
be the eastern limit of the world. Vide Ovid Trist.
3, 13,27 ; so Carm. 38, v. 4. casu novissimo,' the last
(farthest) extremity of distress;' novissimum agmen,
'the rear. ' Livy, Lib. 21, 35. lacum] The Ben-
acus, near which was Sirmio, the residence of Ca-
tullus. Vide notes to Carm. 23.
CARMEN V.
To Lesbia.
A graceful expression of a genuine Anacreontic
sentiment, persuading her to indulge the delights
of mutual affection, by urging the shortness of life,
and the everlasting sleep which follows.
11. ne sciamus] That we may begin a new series.
13. cum sciat] He fears the fascination of some
looker on. But no witness could harm them, un-
less he knew the name or the number of the thing
to become the subject of his enchantments.
CARMEN VI.
To Lesbia.
A reply to Lesbia's question, how many kisses
would satisfy his love.
4. Laserpiciferis] 'producing' benzoin, a plant
much used for medicinal purposes. The best was
produced in Cyrenaica. Pliny, Nat, Hist. xix. 15.
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? NOTES. 95
5. astuosi] from the great heat of the surround-
ing region; or perhaps from a spring there of a pe-
culiar and changeable temperature. --Arrian Exped.
Alex. Lib. 3, Sec. 4.
6. Batti] The first of that name, who emigrated
from Therae, and founded the royal family of the
Battiadae. Herodotus, Lib. 4, Sec. 150--159.
9. basia basiare] The verb beside its direct object
takes the accusative of a word of the same mean-
ing. This. construction is more common among
the Greeks, whom Catullus affects.
CARMEN VII.
To Verannius, on his return from Spain. Com-
pare Horace, Carm. Lib. 1, 36.
2. mihi] dativus commodi, 'in worth to me,' ' in
my estimation. '
CARMEN VIII.
The Mistress of Varrus.
Varrus, a friend of Catullus, finding him one day
sauntering in the forum, invited him to visit his
mistress. Among various topics of conversation,
they spoke of Bithynia, where Catullus had recently
served under Memmius. The natural inquiry being
started, how far he had enriched himself there, he
answered evasively, blaming the avarice of the
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? 96 NOTES.
pretors who governed the province; yet unwilling
to appear to the lady entirely unsuccessful, he tells
her that he had brought home half a dozen litter
bearers. The wanton desires to borrow them,
when the poet is compelled to get off with a lame
and confused apology.
1. Farri] Vulpius, Turnebus and some others read
Varus, and suppose the person here mentioned, to
be Alphenus Varus, one of the most subtle and
distinguished lawyers of his times--the same to
whom Carm. xxii. was addressed. Vide Horace
Sat. 3. Lib. 3. v. 130.
2. ad s. a. visum] the same as visum suos amores.
Thus Terence Hecyra, Act 1. Scene 2. v. 189, has a
similar construction, "nostra (domina) it visere ad
earn. " So Plautus Bacch. Act 3. Sc. 5. "lbo et
visam hue ad eum. "
4. JVbn illepidum] i not ungenteel. '
10. prcstoribus] The same province was some-
times occupied by more than one prator at once;
or the reference may be to successive prators.
12. irrumator] < avaricious. '
13. nee faceret pili] 'valued not a hair. ' Conf.
Carm. xii. v. 17.
14. illic natum] 'what is said to have originated
there. ' Cicero in Verrem, says "Nam ut mos fuit
Bithyniae regibus lectica octophoro ferebatur.
Verses 21, 22 and 23, are to be understood as a
parenthesis, introduced to inform those to whom he
V
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? NOTES. 97
is relating the adventure. "Conversus ad lectores. "
Vulp.
22. grabati] 'a small bed carried from place to
place. ' From the Greek xQu? ? arov, derived ac-
cording to Voss, from tni to xgoita Sairtir, quasi
xaga? uTov.
26. ad Serapin] The temple of Serapis was with-
out the city, and was frequented for licentious pur-
poses, and also for obtaining dream3 there, which it
was thought would aid in the recovery of health.
