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Because you, oppressed by fortune and bitter calamity, sent me this letter written with tears, that I might bear up shipwrecked you tossed by the foaming waves of the sea, and restore you from the threshold of death;

you whom neither sacred Venus suffers to repose in soft slumber, desolate on a lonely couch, nor do the Muses divert with the sweet song of ancient poets, while your anxious mind keeps watch:—I am grateful that you call me your friend,

and seek here the gifts of the Muses and of Venus. But so that my troubles may not be unknown to you, Manlius, and so that you not think that I hate the duty of host, hear how I myself am engulfed in the waves of fortune, and do not further seek joyful gifts from a wretched one.

In that time when the white toga was first handed to me, and my flowering age was passing its delightful spring, much and enough did I sport: nor was the goddess unknown to us who mixes bitter-sweet with our cares. But my brother’s death plunged all this pursuit into mourning.

O brother, taken from my unhappy self; you by your dying have broken my ease, O brother; all our house is buried with you; with you have perished the whole of our joys, which your sweet love nourished in your lifetime.

With your loss, I have dismissed wholly from mind these studies and every delight of mind. So then, because you write, it is shameful for Catullus to be at Verona , because here someone of the better sort warms up his frigid limbs on a desolate couch;

that, Manlius, is not shameful; rather it is a sorrow. Therefore, forgive me if I do not bestow on you these gifts which grief has snatched from me, because I am unable. For the fact that there is no great store of writings with me arises from this, that we live at Rome : there is my home,

there is my hall, there my time is passed; here but one of my book-cases follows me. As it is thus, I would not want you to think that we do this from ill-will or with a mind not open enough, because ample store is not forthcoming to either of your desires:

of my own accord would I grant both, had I the wherewithal.

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

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The National Endowment for the Humanities.

Current edition Perseus

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

Translations (1)

Carmina Perseus (Catullus, Gaius Valerius. The Carmina of Caius Valerius Catullus. Burton, Sir Richard Francis, translator. London, Printed for the Translators, 1894.) — 68 focus

To MANIUS ON VARIOUS MATTERS.

When to me sore opprest by bitter chance of misfortune

This thy letter thou send’st written wi’ blotting of tears,

So might I save thee flung by spuming billows of ocean,

Shipwreckt, rescuing life snatcht from the threshold of death;

Eke neither Venus the Holy to rest in slumber’s refreshment

Grants thee her grace on couch lying deserted and lone,

Nor can the Muses avail with dulcet song of old writers

Ever delight thy mind sleepless in anxious care;

Grateful be this to my thought since thus thy friend I’m entitled,

Hence of me seekest thou gifts Muses and Venus can give:

But that bide not unknown to thee my sorrows (O Manius!)

And lest office of host I should be holden to hate,

Learn how in Fortune’s deeps I chance myself to be drownèd,

Nor fro’ the poor rich boons furthermore prithee require.

What while first to myself the pure-white garment was given,

Whenas my flowery years flowed in fruition of spring,

Much I disported enow, nor ’bode I a stranger to Goddess

Who with our cares is lief sweetness of bitter to mix:

Yet did a brother’s death pursuits like these to my sorrow

Bid for me cease: Oh, snatcht brother! from wretchedest me.

Then, yea, thou by thy dying hast broke my comfort, O brother;

Buried together wi’ thee lieth the whole of our house;

Perisht along wi’ thyself all gauds and joys of our life-tide,

Douce love fostered by thee during the term of our days.

After thy doom of death fro’ mind I banishèd wholly

Studies like these, and all lending a solace to soul;

Wherefore as to thy writ:— Verona’s home for Catullus

Bringeth him shame, for there men of superior mark

Must on a deserted couch fain chafe their refrigerate limbs:

Such be no shame (Manius!): rather ’tis matter of ruth.

Pardon me, then, wilt thou an gifts bereft me by grieving

These I send not to thee since I avail not present.

For, that I own not here abundant treasure of writings

Has for its cause, in Rome dwell I; and there am I homed,

There be my seat, and there my years are gathered to harvest;

Out of book-cases galore here am I followed by one.

This being thus, nill I thou deem ’tis spirit malignant

Acts in such wise or mind lacking of liberal mood

That to thy prayer both gifts be not in plenty supplièd:

Willingly both had I sent, had I the needed supply.

throughline_41 Nor can I (Goddesses!) hide in what things Allius sent me

throughline_42 Aid, forbear to declare what was the aidance he deigned:

throughline_43 Neither shall fugitive Time from centuries ever oblivious

throughline_44 Veil in the blinds of night friendship he lavisht on me.

throughline_45 But will I say unto you what you shall say to the many

throughline_46 Thousands in turn, and make paper, old crone, to proclaim

throughline_47

throughline_48 And in his death become noted the more and the more,

throughline_49 Nor let spider on high that weaves her delicate webbing

throughline_50 Practise such labours o’er Allius’ obsolete name.

throughline_51 For that ye weet right well what care Amathúsia two-faced

throughline_52 Gave me, and how she dasht every hope to the ground,

throughline_53 Whenas I burnt so hot as burn Trinacria’s rocks or

throughline_54 Mallia stream that feeds Œtéan Thermopylae;

throughline_55 Nor did these saddened eyes to be dimmed by assiduous weeping

throughline_56 Cease, and my cheeks with showers ever in sadness be wet.

throughline_57 E’en as from aëry heights of mountain springeth a springlet

throughline_58 Limpidest leaping forth from rocking felted with moss,

throughline_59 Then having headlong rolled the prone-laid valley downpouring,

throughline_60 Populous region amid wendeth his gradual way,

throughline_61 Sweetest solace of all to the sweltering traveller wayworn,

throughline_62 Whenas the heavy heat fissures the fiery fields;

throughline_63 Or, as to seamen lost in night of whirlwind a-glooming

throughline_64 Gentle of breath there comes fairest and favouring breeze,

throughline_65 Pollux anon being prayed, nor less vows offered to Castor:—

throughline_66 Such was the aidance to us Manius pleased to afford.

throughline_67 He to my narrow domains far wider limits laid open,

throughline_68 He too gave me the house, also he gave me the dame,

throughline_69 She upon whom both might exert them, partners in love deeds.

throughline_70 Thither graceful of gait pacing my goddess white-hued

throughline_71 Came and with gleaming foot on the worn sole of the threshold

throughline_72 Stood she and prest its slab creakihg her sandals the while;

throughline_73 E’enso with love enflamed in olden days to her helpmate,

throughline_74 Laodamía the home Protesiléan besought,

throughline_75 Sought, but in vain, for ne’er wi’ sacrificial blood shed

throughline_76 Victims appeased the Lords ruling Celestial seats:

throughline_77 Never may I so joy in aught (Rhamnusian Virgin!)

throughline_78 That I engage in deed maugrè the will of the Lords.

throughline_79 How starved altar can crave for gore in piety poured,

throughline_80 Laodamia learnt taught by the loss of her man,

throughline_81 Driven perforce to loose the neck of new-wedded help-mate,

throughline_82 Whenas a winter had gone, nor other winter had come,

throughline_83 Ere in the long dark nights her greeding love was so sated

throughline_84 That she had power to live maugrè a marriage broke off,

throughline_85 Which, as the Parcae knew, too soon was fated to happen

throughline_86 Should he a soldier sail bound for those llian walls.

throughline_87 For that by Helena’s rape, the Champion-leaders of Argives

throughline_88 Unto herself to incite Troy had already begun,

throughline_89 Troy (ah, curst be the name) common tomb of Asia and Europe,

throughline_90 Troy to sad ashes that turned valour and valorous men!

throughline_91 Eke to our brother beloved, destruction ever lamented

throughline_92 Brought she: O Brother for aye lost unto wretchedmost me,

throughline_93 Oh, to thy wretchedmost brother lost the light of his life-tide,

throughline_94 Buried together wi’ thee lieth the whole of our house:

throughline_95 Perisht along wi’ thyself forthright all joys we enjoyèd,

throughline_96 Douce joys fed by thy love during the term of our days;

throughline_97 Whom now art tombed so far nor ’mid familiar pavestones

throughline_98 Nor wi’ thine ashes stored near to thy kith and thy kin,

throughline_99 But in that Troy obscene, that Troy of ill-omen, entombèd

throughline_100 Holds thee, an alien earth-buried in uttermost bourne.

throughline_101 Thither in haste so hot (’tis said) from allwhere the Youth-hood

throughline_102 Grecian, farèd in hosts forth of their hearths and their homes,

throughline_103 Lest with a stolen punk with fullest of pleasure should Paris

throughline_104 Fairly at leisure and ease sleep in the pacific bed.

throughline_105 Such was the hapless chance, most beautiful Laodamia,

throughline_106 Tare fro’ thee dearer than life, dearer than spirit itself,

throughline_107 Him, that husband, whose love in so mighty a whirlpool of passion

throughline_108 Whelmed thee absorbed and plunged deep in its gulfy abyss,

throughline_109 E’en as the Grecians tell hard by Phenéus of Cylléne

throughline_110 Drained was the marish and dried, forming the fattest of soils,

throughline_111 Whenas in days long done to delve through marrow of mountains

throughline_112 Daréd, falsing his sire, Amphtryóniades;

throughline_113 What time sure of his shafts he smote Stymphalian monsters

throughline_114 Slaying their host at the hest dealt by a lord of less worth,

throughline_115 So might the gateway of Heaven be trodden by more of the godheads,

throughline_116 Nor might Hébé abide longer to maidenhood doomed.

throughline_117 Yet was the depth of thy love far deeper than deepest of marish

throughline_118 Which the hard mistress’s yoke taught him so tamely to bear;

throughline_119 Never was head so dear to a grandsire wasted by life-tide

throughline_120 Whenas one daughter alone a grandson so tardy had reared,

throughline_121 Who being found against hope to inherit riches of forbears

throughline_122 In the well-witnessed Will haply by name did appear,

throughline_123 And ’spite impious hopes of baffled claimant to kinship

throughline_124 Startles the Vulturine grip clutching the frost-bitten poll.

throughline_125 Nor with such rapture e’er joyed his mate of snowy-hued plumage

throughline_126 Dove-mate, albeit aye wont in her immoderate heat

throughline_127 Said be the bird to snatch hot kisses with beak ever billing,

throughline_128 As diddest thou:—yet is Woman multivolent still.

throughline_129 But thou ’vailedest alone all these to conquer in love-lowe,

throughline_130 When conjoindd once more unto thy yellow-haired spouse.

throughline_131 Worthy of yielding to her in naught or ever so little

throughline_132 Came to the bosom of us she, the fair light of my life,

throughline_133 Round whom fluttering oft the Love-God hither and thither

throughline_134 Shone with a candid sheen robed in his safflower dress.

throughline_135 She though never she bide with one Catullus contented,

throughline_136 Yet will I bear with the rare thefts of my dame the discreet,

throughline_137 Lest over-irk I give which still of fools is the fashion.

throughline_138 Often did Juno eke Queen of the Heavenly host

throughline_139 Boil wi’ the rabidest rage at dire default of a husband

throughline_140 Learning the manifold thefts of her omnivolent Jove,

100

throughline_141 Yet with the Gods mankind ’tis nowise righteous to liken,

throughline_141a

throughline_141aa

throughline_142 Rid me of graceless task fit for a tremulous sire.

throughline_143 Yet was she never to me by hand paternal committed

throughline_144 Whenas she came to my house reeking Assyrian scents;

throughline_145 Nay, in the darkness of night her furtive favours she deigned me,

105

throughline_146 Self-willed taking herself from very mate’s very breast.

throughline_147 Wherefore I hold it enough since given to us and us only

throughline_148 Boon of that day with Stone whiter than wont she denotes.

throughline_149 This to thee—all that I can—this offering couched in verses

throughline_150 (Allius!) as my return give I for service galore;

110

throughline_151 So wi’ the seabriny rust your name may never be sullied

throughline_152 This day and that nor yet other and other again.

throughline_153 Hereto add may the Gods all good gifts, which Themis erewhiles

throughline_154 Wont on the pious of old from her full store to bestow:

throughline_155 Blest be the times of the twain, thyself and she who thy life is,

115

throughline_156 Also the home wherein dallied we, no less the Dame,

throughline_157 Anser to boot who first of mortals brought us together,

throughline_158 Whence from beginning all good Fortunes that blest us were born.

throughline_159 Lastly than every else one dearer than self and far dearer,

throughline_160 Light of my life who alive living to me can endear.

120

C. Valerius Catullus Carmina 68

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

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To MANIUS ON VARIOUS MATTERS.

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