Poetry and Friendship

copied from LatinTutorEWilliams on Quizlet

hesterno, Licini, die otiosi

Yesterday, Licinius, at leisure,

multum lusimus

we amused ourselves greatly

in meis tabellis,

on my writing tablets,

ut convenerat esse delicatos;

as we had agreed to be frivolous;

scribens versiculos uterque nostrum

each of us, writing short verses,

ludebat numero modo hoc modo illoc,

was playing now with this metre, now with that [one],

reddens mutua

exchanging ideas

per iocum atque vinum.

through the joking and the wine.

atque illinc abii

And I went away from there

tuo lepore incensus, Licini,

on fire with your charm, Licinius,

facetiisque,

and your wittiness,

ut nec me miserum cibus iuvaret

so that food does not help wretched me,

nec somnus tegeret quiete ocellos,

nor does sleep cover [my] eyes in calm,

sed toto indomitus furore lecto

but, wild with excitement on my whole bed,

versarer,

I toss and turn,

cupiens videre lucem,

longing to see the light,

ut tecum loquerer

so that I may speak with you

simulque ut essem.

and so that I may be with you at the same time.

at defessa labore membra postquam

But after my limbs, worn out with the effort,

semimortua lectulo iacebant,

were lying half-dead on my bed,

hoc, iucunde, tibi poema feci,

I made this poem for you, dear friend,

ex quo perspiceres meum dolorem.

from which you may observe my sorrow.

nunc audax cave sis,

Now be careful not to be arrogant,

precesque nostras, oramus, cave despuas, ocelle,

and be careful not to reject my prayers, I beg, dear friend,

ne poenas Nemesis reposcat a te.

lest Nemesis should demand punishment from you in return.

est vemens dea.

She is a powerful goddess.

laedere hanc caveto.

Beware of harming her.