TO GELLIUS THE CRITIC.

Seeking often in mind with spirit eager of study

How I could send thee songs chaunted of Battiadés,

So thou be softened to us, nor any attempting thou venture

Shot of thy hostile shaft piercing me high as its head,—

Now do I ken this toil with vainest purpose was taken,

(Gellius!) nor herein aughthave our prayers availèd.

Therefore we’ll parry with cloak what shafts thou shootest against us;

And by our bolts transfixt, penalty due thou shalt pay.

Carmina. C. Valerius Catullus. Leonard C. Smithers (Translator), Sir Richard Francis Burton (Translator). London. 1894.

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Current edition Perseus

Carmina (English) (Catullus, Gaius Valerius. The Carmina of Caius Valerius Catullus. Burton, Sir Richard Francis, translator. London, Printed for the Translators, 1894.)

Translations (1)

Carmina Perseus (Catullus, Gaius Valerius. The Carmina of Caius Valerius Catullus. Smithers, Leonard Charles, prose translator. London, Printed for the Translators, 1894. (Modernized by Perseus.)) — 116 focus

Often seeking, my mind hunting how I could send to studious you the poems of Battiades, whereby I might soften you towards us, and you might not try to send hostile weapons at my head all the time—

I see now that this effort was undertaken by me in vain, Gellius, and that our prayers to this end were of no avail. Your weapons against us we will ward off with our cloak; but, transfixed with ours, you will pay the punishment.

C. Valerius Catullus Carmina 116

Leonard C. Smithers (Translator), Sir Richard Francis Burton (Translator)

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TO GELLIUS THE CRITIC.

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