Catullus poem 50

Translation and Style notes

Translate: ‘hesterno, Licini, die otiosi multum lusimus in meis tabellis, ut convenerat esse delicatos;’

Yesterday, Licinius, being at leisure, we played a lot on my tablets, as it had suited us to be frivolous;

Translate: ‘scribens versiculos uterque nostrum ludebat numero modo hoc modo illoc, reddens mutua per iocum atque vinum.’

each of us, writing trivial verses, played now in this metre, now in that [metre], exchanging lines between us amid jokes and wine.

Translate: ‘atque illinc abii tuo lepore incensus, Licini, factiisque, ut nec me miserum cibus iuvaret nec somnus tegeret quiete ocellos’

And I went away from there fired by your charm, Licinius, and your witticisms, that neither did food help me in my misery, nor did sleep cover my little eyes with rest,

Translate: ‘sed toto indomitus furore lecto versarer, cupiens videre lucem, ut tecum loquerer simulque ut essem.’

…but uncontrollable because of my frenzy I tossed about over the whole bed, wanting to see the light, so I could talk you with and be together [with you].

Translate: ‘at defessa labore membra postquam semimortua lectulo iacebant, hoc, iuncunde, tibi poema feci, ex quo perspiceres meum dolorem.’

But when my limbs, tired by suffering, were lying half-dead on my little bed, I made this poem for you, my dear, from which you might perceive my pain.

Translate: ‘nunc audax cave sis precesque nostras, oramus, cave despuas, ocelle, ne poenas Nemesis reposcat a te.’

Now take care you are not proud, and, light of my life, we beg, do not despise our prayers, lest Nemesis demand a punishment from you.

Translate: ‘est vemens dea. laedere hanc caveto.’

She is a violent goddess. Beware of offending her.

Comment on lines 1-3.

• The use of the phrase ‘hesterno…die’ at the outset of the line, as opposed to the typical word for ‘yesterday’ (‘heri’) communicates to the reader a grand, almost proclamatory tone, while the phrase’s enclosure of ‘Licini’ suggests a causal relationship: just as the language is made embellished upon the interjection of ‘Licini’, Licinius’ presence delivers Catullus from the mundane, quotidian events of a day spent at work (i.e. writing poems alone), recasting unnoteworthy ‘yesterday’ as an occasion of remarkable joy. This sense of moment, however, is tempered by an atmosphere of warmth, with the use of apostrophe creating the impression of a private, sincere exchange between two inseparable companions.

• The use of a diminutive, ‘tabellis’, as well as the lexicon of recreation (‘delicatos’, ‘lusimus’, and the polyptotonic repetition of contributes to the informal, intimate tone - lexicon of recreation (delicatos, and later polytoton ludebat) → subversion: surely the proclamatory phrase about a serious endeavour? almost paradoxically, moment is derived precisely from the absence, as opposed to presence of profundity

• again, tongue-in-cheek subversion of somewhat formal tone established by initial employment of an impersonal passive

Comment on lines