The Carmina of Caius Valerius Catullus | Page 4

I owe great indebtedness for many a felicitous expression. I have also used Dr. Nott freely in my annotations. The only English prose translation of which I have any knowledge is the one in Bohn's edition of Catullus, and this, in addition to being bowdlerized, is in a host of passages more a paraphrase than a literal translation.
I have not thought it needful in any case to point out my deviations from Mueller's text, and I have cleared the volume of all the load of mythological and historical notes which are usually appended to a translation of a classic, contenting myself with referring the non-classical reader to Bohn's edition of the poet.
Of the boldness of Sir Richard Burton's experiment of a metrical and linear translation there can be no question; and on the whole he has succeeded in proving his contention as to its possibility, though it must be confessed that it is at times at the cost of obscurity, or of inversions of sentences which certainly are compelled to lay claim to a poet's license. It must, however, be borne in mind that in a letter to me just before his death, he expressed his intention of going entirely through the work afresh, on receiving my prose, adding that it needed "a power of polishing."
To me has fallen the task of editing Sir Richard's share in this volume from a type-written copy literally swarming with copyist's errors. With respect to the occasional lacunae which appear, I can merely state that Lady Burton has repeatedly assured me that she has furnished me with a faithful copy of her husband's translation, and that the words omitted (which are here indicated by full points, not asterisks) were _not_ filled in by him, because he was first awaiting my translation with the view of our not using similar expressions. However, Lady Burton has without any reason consistently refused me even a glance at his MS.; and in our previous work from the Latin I did not find Sir Richard trouble himself in the least concerning our using like expressions.
The frontispiece to this volume is reproduced from the statue which stands over the Palazzo di Consiglio, the Council House at Verona, which is the only representation of Catullus extant.
LEONARD C. SMITHERS.
_July 11th, 1894._

CONTENTS
I.--DEDICATION TO CORNELIUS NEPOS?II.--LESBIA'S SPARROW?III.--ON THE DEATH OF LESBIA'S SPARROW?IIII.--ON HIS PINNACE?V.--TO LESBIA, (OF LESBOS--CLODIA?)?VI.--TO FLAVIUS: MIS-SPEAKING HIS MISTRESS?VII.--TO LESBIA STILL BELOVED?VIII.--TO HIMSELF, RECOUNTING LESBIA'S INCONSTANCY?VIIII.--TO VERANIUS RETURNED FROM TRAVEL?X.--HE MEETS VARUS AND MISTRESS?XI.--A PARTING INSULT TO LESBIA?XII.--TO M. ASINIUS WHO STOLE NAPERY?XIII.--FABULLUS IS INVITED TO A POET'S SUPPER?XIIII.--TO CALVUS, ACKNOWLEDGING HIS POEMS?XV.--TO AURELIUS--HANDS OFF THE BOY!?XVI.--TO AURELIUS AND FURIUS, IN DEFENCE OF HIS MUSE'S HONESTY XVII.--OF A "PREDESTINED" HUSBAND?XVIII.--TO PRIAPUS, THE GARDEN-GOD?XVIIII.--TO PRIAPUS?XX.--TO PRIAPUS?XXI.--TO AURELIUS THE SKINFLINT?XXII.--TO VARUS, ABUSING SUFFENUS?XXIII.--TO FURIUS, SATIRICALLY PRAISING HIS POVERTY?XXIIII.--TO JUVENTIUS CONCERNING THE CHOICE OF A FRIEND?XXV.--ADDRESS TO THALLUS, THE NAPERY-THIEF?XXVI.--CATULLUS CONCERNING HIS VILLA?XXVII.--TO HIS CUP-BOY?XXVIII.--TO FRIENDS ON RETURN FROM TRAVEL?XXVIIII.--TO C?SAR, OF MAMURRA--CALLED MENTULA?XXX.--TO ALFENUS THE PERJURER?XXXI.--ON RETURN TO SIRMIO AND HIS VILLA?XXXII.--CRAVING IPSITHILLA'S LAST FAVOURS?XXXIII.--ON THE VIBENII--BATH-THIEVES?XXXIIII.--HYMN TO DIANA?XXXV.--AN INVITATION TO POET CECILIUS?XXXVI.--ON "THE ANNALS"--A SO-CALLED POEM OF VOLUSIUS?XXXVII.--TO THE FREQUENTERS OF A LOW TAVERN?XXXVIII.--A COMPLAINT TO CORNIFICIUS?XXXVIIII.--ON EGNATIUS OF THE WHITE TEETH?XXXX.--THREATENING RAVIDUS WHO STOLE HIS MISTRESS?XXXXI.--ON MAMURRA'S MISTRESS?XXXXII.--ON A STRUMPET WHO STOLE HIS TABLETS?XXXXIII.--TO MAMURRA'S MISTRESS?XXXXIIII.--CATULLUS TO HIS OWN FARM?XXXXV.--ON ACME AND SEPTUMIUS?XXXXVI.--HIS ADIEUX TO BITHYNIA?XXXXVII.--TO PORCIUS AND SOCRATION?XXXXVIII.--TO JUVENTIUS?XXXXVIIII.--TO MARCUS TULLIUS CICERO?L.--TO HIS FRIEND LICINIUS?LI.--TO LESBIA?LII.--CATULLUS TO HIMSELF?LIII.--A JEST CONCERNING CALVUS?LIIII.--TO JULIUS C?SAR (?)?LV.---OF HIS FRIEND CAMERIUS?LVI.--TO CATO, DESCRIBING A "BLACK JOKER"?LVII.--ON MAMURRA AND JULIUS C?SAR?LVIII.--ON LESBIA WHO ENDED BADLY?LVIIII.--ON RUFA?LX.--TO A CRUEL CHARMER?LXI.--EPITHALAMIUM ON VINIA AND MANLIUS?LXII.--NUPTIAL SONG BY YOUTHS AND DAMSELS (EPITHALAMIUM)?LXIII.--THE ADVENTURES OF ATYS?LXIIII.--MARRIAGE OF PELEUS AND THETIS (FRAGMENT OF AN EPOS) LXV.--TO HORTALUS LAMENTING A LOST BROTHER?LXVI.--(LOQUITUR) BERENICE'S LOCK?LXVII.--DIALOGUE CONCERNING CATULLUS AT A HARLOT'S DOOR?LXVIII.--TO MANIUS ON VARIOUS MATTERS?LXVIIII.--TO RUFUS THE FETID?LXX.--ON WOMAN'S INCONSTANCY?LXXI.--TO VERRO?LXXII.--TO LESBIA THE FALSE?LXXIII.--OF AN INGRATE?LXXIIII.--OF GELLIUS?LXXVII.--TO RUFUS, THE TRAITOR FRIEND?LXXVIII.--OF GALLUS?LXXVIIII.--OF LESBIUS?LXXX.--TO GELLIUS?LXXXI.--TO JUVENTIUS?LXXXII.--TO QUINTIUS?LXXXIII.--OF LESBIA'S HUSBAND?LXXXIIII.--OF ARRIUS, A ROMAN 'ARRY?LXXXV.--HOW THE POET LOVES?LXXXVI.--OF QUINTIA?LXXXVII., LXXV.--TO LESBIA?LXXVI.--IN SELF-GRATULATION?LXXXVIII.--TO GELLIUS?LXXXVIIII.--ON GELLIUS?LXXXX.--ON GELLIUS?LXXXXI.--TO GELLIUS?LXXXXII.--ON LESBIA?LXXXXIII.--ON JULIUS C?SAR?LXXXXIIII.--AGAINST MENTULA (MAMURRA)?LXXXXV.--ON THE "ZMYRNA" OF THE POET CINNA?LXXXXVI.--TO CALVUS, ANENT THE DEAD QUARTILLA?LXXXXVII.--ON ?MILIUS THE FOUL?LXXXXVIII.--TO VICTIUS THE STINKARD?LXXXXVIIII.--TO JUVENTIUS?C.--ON C?LIUS AND QUINTIUS?CI.--ON THE BURIAL OF HIS BROTHER?CII.--TO CORNELIUS?CIII.--TO SILO?CIIII.--CONCERNING LESBIA?CV.--ON MAMURRA?CVI.--THE AUCTIONEER AND THE FAIR BOY?CVII.--TO LESBIA RECONCILED?CVIII.--ON COMINIUS?CVIIII.--TO LESBIA ON HER VOW OF CONSTANCY?CX.--TO AUFILENA?CXI.--TO THE SAME?CXII.--ON NASO?CXIII.--TO CINNA?CXIIII.--ON MAMURRA'S SQUANDERING?CXV.--OF THE SAME?CXVI.--TO GELLIUS THE CRITIC
NOTES ILLUSTRATIVE AND EXPLANATORY

[Illustration]
The Carmina
OF
Caius Valerius Catullus

C. VALERII CATVLLI
LIBER.
I.
Quoi dono lepidum novom libellum?Arida modo pumice expolitum??Corneli, tibi: namque tu solebas?Meas esse aliquid putare nugas,?Iam tum cum ausus es unus Italorum 5 Omne aevum tribus explicare chartis?Doctis, Iuppiter, et laboriosis.?Quare habe tibi quidquid hoc libelli,?Qualecumque, quod o patrona virgo,?Plus uno maneat perenne saeclo. 10
I.
DEDICATION TO CORNELIUS NEPOS.
Now smooth'd to polish due with pumice dry?Whereto this lively booklet new give I??To thee