Carmen LXVIII: To Manius on Various Matters
When to me sore opprest by bitter chance of misfortuneThis 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 refreshmentGrants thee her grace on couch lying deserted and lone,Nor can the Muses avail with dulcet song of old writersEver 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 drowned,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 GoddessWho with our cares is lief sweetness of bitter to mix:Yet did a brother's death pursuits like these to my sorrowBid 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 banished whollyStudies like these, and all lending a solace to soul;Wherefore as to thy writ:--"Verona's home for CatullusBringeth him shame, for there men of superior markMust 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 grievingThese I send not to thee since I avail not present.For, that I own not here abundant treasure of writingsHas 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 malignantActs in such wise or mind lacking of liberal moodThat to thy prayer both gifts be not in plenty supplied:Willingly both had I sent, had I the needed supply.Nor can I (Goddesses!) hide in what things Allius sent meAid, forbear to declare what was the aidance he deigned:Neither shall fugitive Time from centuries ever obliviousVeil in the blinds of night friendship he lavisht on me.But will I say unto you what you shall say to the manyThousands in turn, and make paper, old crone, to proclaimAnd in his death become noted the more and the more,Nor let spider on high that weaves her delicate webbingPractise such labours o'er Allius' obsolete name.For that ye weet right well what care Amathusia two-facedGave me, and how she dasht every hope to the ground,Whenas I burnt so hot as burn Trinacria's rocks orMallia stream that feeds Oetean Thermopylae;Nor did these saddened eyes to be dimmed by assiduous weepingCease, and my cheeks with showers ever in sadness be wet.E'en as from aery heights of mountain springeth a springletLimpidest leaping forth from rocking felted with moss,Then having headlong rolled the prone-laid valley downpouring,Populous region amid wendeth his gradual way,Sweetest solace of all to the sweltering traveller wayworn,Whenas the heavy heat fissures the fiery fields;Or, as to seamen lost in night of whirlwind a-gloomingGentle of breath there comes fairest and favouring breeze,Pollux anon being prayed, nor less vows offered to Castor:--Such was the aidance to us Manius pleased to afford.He to my narrow domains far wider limits laid open,He too gave me the house, also he gave me the dame,She upon whom both might exert them, partners in love deeds.Thither graceful of gait pacing my goddess white-huedCame and with gleaming foot on the worn sole of the thresholdStood she and prest its slab creaking her sandals the while;E'en so with love enflamed in olden days to her helpmate,Laodamia the home Protesilean besought,Sought, but in vain, for ne'er wi' sacrificial bloodshedVictims appeased the Lords ruling Celestial seats:Never may I so joy in aught (Rhamnusian Virgin!)That I engage in deed maugre the will of the Lords.How starved altar can crave for gore in piety poured,Laodamia learnt taught by the loss of her man,Driven perforce to loose the neck of new-wedded help-mate,Whenas a winter had gone, nor other winter had come,Ere in the long dark nights her greeding love was so satedThat she had power to live maugre a marriage broke off,Which, as the Parcae knew, too soon was fated to happenShould he a soldier sail bound for those Ilian walls.For that by Helena's rape, the Champion-leaders of ArgivesUnto herself to incite Troy had already begun,Troy (ah, curst be the name) common tomb of Asia and Europe,Troy to sad ashes that turned valour and valorous men!Eke to our brother beloved, destruction ever lamentedBrought she: O Brother for aye lost unto wretchedmost me,Oh, to thy wretchedmost brother lost the light of his life-tide,Buried together wi' thee lieth the whole of our house:Perisht along wi' thyself forthright all joys we enjoyed,Douce joys fed by thy love during the term of our days;Whom now art tombed so far nor 'mid familiar pavestonesNor wi' thine ashes stored near to thy kith and thy kin,But in that Troy obscene, that Troy of ill-omen, entombedHolds thee, an alien earth-buried in uttermost bourne.Thither in haste so hot ('tis said) from allwhere the Youth-hoodGrecian, fared in hosts forth of their hearths and their homes,Lest with a stolen punk with fullest of pleasure should ParisFairly at leisure and ease sleep in the pacific bed.Such was the hapless chance, most beautiful Laodamia,Tare fro' thee dearer than life, dearer than spirit itself,Him, that husband, whose love in so mighty a whirlpool of passionWhelmed thee absorbed and plunged deep in its gulfy abyss,E'en as the Grecians tell hard by Pheneus of CylleneDrained was the marish and dried, forming the fattest of soils,Whenas in days long done to delve through marrow of mountainsDared, falsing his sire, Amphtryoniades;What time sure of his shafts he smote Stymphalian monstersSlaying their host at the hest dealt by a lord of less worth,So might the gateway of Heaven be trodden by more of the godheads,Nor might Hebe abide longer to maidenhood doomed.Yet was the depth of thy love far deeper than deepest of marishWhich the hard mistress's yoke taught him so tamely to bear;Never was head so dear to a grandsire wasted by life-tideWhenas one daughter alone a grandson so tardy had reared,Who being found against hope to inherit riches of forbearsIn the well-witnessed Will haply by name did appear,And 'spite impious hopes of baffled claimant to kinshipStartles the Vulturine grip clutching the frost-bitten poll.Nor with such rapture e'er joyed his mate of snowy-hued plumageDove-mate, albeit aye wont in her immoderate heatSaid be the bird to snatch hot kisses with beak ever billing,As diddest thou:--yet is Woman multivolent still.But thou 'vailedest alone all these to conquer in love-lowe,When conjoined once more unto thy yellow-haired spouse.Worthy of yielding to her in naught or ever so littleCame to the bosom of us she, the fair light of my life,Round whom fluttering oft the Love-God hither and thitherShone with a candid sheen robed in his safflower dress.She though never she bide with one Catullus contented,Yet will I bear with the rare thefts of my dame the discreet,Lest over-irk I give which still of fools is the fashion.Often did Juno eke Queen of the Heavenly hostBoil wi' the rabidest rage at dire default of a husbandLearning the manifold thefts of her omnivolent Jove,Yet with the Gods mankind 'tis nowise righteous to liken,Rid me of graceless task fit for a tremulous sire.Yet was she never to me by hand paternal committedWhenas she came to my house reeking Assyrian scents;Nay, in the darkness of night her furtive favours she deigned me,Self-willed taking herself from very mate's very breast.Wherefore I hold it enough since given to us and us onlyBoon of that day with Stone whiter than wont she denotes.This to thee--all that I can--this offering couched in verses(Allius!) as my return give I for service galore;So wi' the seabriny rust your name may never be sulliedThis day and that nor yet other and other again.Hereto add may the Gods all good gifts, which Themis erewhilesWont on the pious of old from her full store to bestow:Blest be the times of the twain, thyself and she who thy life is,Also the home wherein dallied we, no less the Dame,Anser to boot who first of mortals brought us together,Whence from beginning all good Fortunes that blest us were born.Lastly than every else one dearer than self and far dearer,Light of my life who alive living to me can endear.
Words in this poem 85
- lone n.
- A lane. See Loanin.
- dulcet a.
- Sweet to the taste; luscious. [OF. doucet, dim. of dous sweet, F. doux, L. dulcis; akin to Gr. Doucet.]
- sleepless a.
- Having no sleep; wakeful.
- bide v. i.
- To dwell; to inhabit; to abide; to stay. [OE. biden, AS. bidan; akin to OHG. bitan, Goth. beidan, Icel. bi; perh. orig., to wait with trust, and akin to bid. See Bid, v. t., and cf. Abide.]
- furthermore adv.
- or conj. Moreover; besides; in addition to what has been said.
- prithee interj.
- A corruption of pray thee; as, I prithee; generally used without I.
- fruition n.
- Use or possession of anything, especially such as is accompanied with pleasure or satisfaction; pleasure derived from possession or use. [OF. fruition, L. fruitio, enjoyment, fr. L. frui, p. p. fruitus, to use or enjoy. See Fruit, n.]
- enow
- A form of Enough.
- hast
- , 2d pers. sing. pres. of. Fave, contr. of havest.
- broke v. i.
- To transact business for another. Brome. [See Broker, and cf. Brook.]
- douce a.
- Sweet; pleasant. [F. doux, masc., douce, fem., sweet, fr. L. duleis sweet.]
- solace n.
- Comfort in grief; alleviation of grief or anxiety; also, that which relieves in distress; that which cheers or consoles; relief. [OF. solas, ssoulaz, L. solacium, solatium, fr. solari to comfort, console. Cf. Console, v. t.]
- wherefore adv.
- For which reason; so; -- used relatively. [Where + for.]
- fain v. t.
- To be glad ; to wish or desire.
- refrigerate v. t.
- To cause to become cool; to make or keep cold or cool. [L. refrigeratus, p. p. cf. refrigerare; pref. re- re- + grigerare to make cool, fr. fragus, frigoris, coolness. See Frigid.]
- ruth n.
- Sorrow for the misery of another; pity; tenderness. [From Rue, v.: cf. Icel. hryggedh, hrygedh.]
- dwell v. i.
- To delay; to linger. [OE. dwellen, dwelien, to err, linger, AS. dwellan to deceive, hinder, delay, dwelian to err; akin to Icel. dvelja to delay, tarry, Sw. dväljas to dwell, Dan. dv]
- galore n.
- Plenty; abundance; in abundance. [Scot. gelore, gilore, galore, fr. Gael. gu leòr, enough; gu- to, also an adverbial prefix + leòr, leòir, enough; or fr. Ir. goleor, the same word.]
- nill v. t.
- Not to will; to refuse; to reject. [AS. nilan, nyllan; ne not + willan to will. See No, and Will.]
- deem v. t.
- To decide; to judge; to sentence; to condemn. [OE. demen to judge, condemn, AS. d, fr. d doom; akin to OFries. d, OS. ad, D. doemen, OHG. tuommen, Icel. dæma, Sw. dömma, Dan. dömme, Goth. d. See Doom, n., an]
- willingly adv.
- In a willing manner; with free will; without reluctance; cheerfully.
- shall v. i.
- To owe; to be under obligation for. [OE. shal, schal, imp. sholde, scholde, AS. scal, sceal, I am obliged, imp. scolde, sceolde, inf. sculan; akin to OS. skulan, pres. skal, imp. skolda, D. zullen,]
- oblivious a.
- Promoting oblivion; causing forgetfulness. [L.obliviosus: cf.F. oblivieux.]
- crone n.
- An old ewe. Tusser. [OD. kronie, karonie, an old sheep, OF. carogne, F. charogne, carrion (also F. carogne illnatured woman.). See Carrion, and Crony.]
- webbing n.
- A woven band of cotton or flax, used for reins, girths, bed bottoms, etc.
- weet v. i.
- To know; to wit. Tyndale. [See Wit to know.]
- sadness n.
- Heaviness; firmness.
- springlet n.
- A little spring.
- populous a.
- Abounding in people; full of inhabitants; containing many inhabitants in proportion to the extent of the country. [L. populosus, fr. populus people: cf. F. populeux.]
- amid prep.
- In the midst or middle of; surrounded or encompassed by; among. [OE. amidde, amiddes, on midden, AS. on middan, in the middle, fr. midde the middle. The s is an adverbial ending, originally marking the genitive; the t is a la]
- wayworn a.
- Wearied by traveling.
- anon adv.
- Straightway; at once. [OE. anoon, anon, anan, lit., in one (moment), fr. AS. on in + an one. See On and One.]
- dame n.
- A mistress of a family, who is a lady; a womam in authority; especially, a lady. [F. dame, LL. domna, fr. L. domina mistress, lady, fem. of dominus master, ruler, lord; akin to domare to tame, subdue. See Tame, and cf. Dam mother, Dan, Danger]
- exert v. t.
- To thrust forth; to emit; to push out. [L. exertus, exsertus, p.p. of exerere, exserere, to thrust out; ex out + serere to join or bind together. See Series, and cf. Exsert.]
- prest a.
- Ready; prompt; prepared. [OF. prest, F. prêt, fr. L. praestus ready. Cf. Presto.]
- olden a.
- Old; ancient; as, the olden time.
- helpmate n.
- A helper; a companion; specifically, a wife. [A corruption of the "help meet for him" of Genesis ii. 18.Fitzedward Hall.]
- sacrificial a.
- Of or pertaining to sacrifice or sacrifices; consisting in sacrifice; performing sacrifice.
- aught n.
- Property; possession. [AS. , fr. agan to own, p. p. ahte.]
- maugre v. t.
- To defy. J. Webster.
- crave v. t.
- To ask with earnestness or importunity; to ask with submission or humility; to beg; to entreat; to beseech; to implore. [AS. crafian; akin to Icel. krefia, Sw. kr, Dan. kr.]
- perforce v. t.
- To force; to compel.
- wedded a.
- Joined in wedlock; married.
- parcae n.
- The Fates. See Fate, 4. [L.]
- curst a.
- Froward; malignant; mischievous; malicious; snarling. [SeeCurse.]
- valorous a.
- Possessing or exhibiting valor; brave; courageous; valiant; intrepid. [Cf. F. valeureux, LL. valorosus.]
- lamented a.
- Mourned for; bewailed.
- forthright adv.
- Straight forward; in a straight direction. Sir P. [Forth, adv. + right, adv.]
- kith n.
- Acquaintance; kindred. [OE. kith, cu, AS. cc known. Uncouth, Can, and cf. Kythe.]
- uttermost a.
- Extreme; utmost; being; in the farthest, greatest, or highest degree; as, the uttermost extent or end. [From Utter, a.; cf. Utmost, and Outermost.]
- bourne n.
- A stream or rivulet; a burn. [OE. burne, borne, AS. burna; akin to OS. brunno spring, G. born, brunnen, OHG. prunno, Goth. brunna, Icel. brunnr, and perh. to Gr. burn, v., because the source]
- punk n.
- Wood so decayed as to be dry, crumbly, and useful for tinder; touchwood. [Cf. Spunk.]
- fairly adv.
- In a fairmanner; clearly; openly; plainly; fully; distinctly; frankly.
- hapless a.
- Without hap or luck; luckless; unfortunate; unlucky; unhappy; as, hapless youth; hapless maid.
- gulfy a.
- Full of whirlpools or gulfs. Chapman.
- marish n.
- Low, wet ground; a marsh; a fen; a bog; a moor. [Cf. F. marais, LL. marascus. See Marsh.]
- sire n.
- A lord, master, or other person in authority. See Sir. [F. sire, originally, an older person. See Sir.]
- hest n.
- Command; precept; injunction. See Behest. [AS. hs, fr. h to call, bid. See Hight, and cf. Behest.]
- hebe n.
- The goddess of youth, daughter of Jupiter and Juno. She was believed to have the power of restoring youth and beauty to those who had lost them. [L., fr. Gr. "h`bh youth, "H`bh Hebe.]
- tamely adv.
- In a tame manner.
- grandsire n.
- Specifically, a grandfather; more generally, any ancestor. [OF. grantsire. See Grand, and Sire.]
- haply adv.
- By hap, chance, luck, or accident; perhaps; it may be.
- claimant n.
- One who claims; one who asserts a right or title; a claimer. [Cf. OF. clamant, p. pr. of clamer. Cf.Clamant.]
- kinship n.
- Family relationship.
- vulturine a.
- Of or pertaining to a vulture; resembling a vulture in qualities or looks; as, the vulturine sea eagle (Gypohierax Angolensis); vulturine rapacity. [L. vulturinus.]
- snowy a.
- White like snow.
- albeit conj.
- Even though; although; notwithstanding. [OE. al be although it be, where al is our all. Cf. Although.]
- billing a.
- Caressing; kissing.
- spouse v. t.
- To wed; to espouse. [See Espouse, and Spouse, n.]
- sheen v. i.
- To shine; to glisten.
- safflower n.
- An annual composite plant (Carthamus tinctorius), the flowers of which are used as a dyestuff and in making rouge; bastard, or false, saffron. [F. safeur, safior, for safran, influenced by fleur flower. See Saffron, and Flower.]
- discreet a.
- Possessed of discernment, especially in avoiding error or evil, and in the adaptation of means to ends; prudent; sagacious; judicious; not rash or heedless; cautious. [F. discret, L. discretus separated (whence the meaning reserved, prudent), p. p. of discernere. See Discern, and cf. Discrete.]
- dire a.
- Ill-boding; portentous; as, dire omens. [L. dirus; of uncertain origin.]
- jove n.
- The chief divinity of the ancient Romans; Jupiter. [L. Jupiter, gen. Jovis, OL. Jovis, nom. & gen. for Djovis; akin to E. Tuesday. See Tuesday, and cf. Jupiter.]
- nowise adv.
- Not in any manner or degree; in no way; noways. [For in no wise. See Wise, n.]
- liken v. t.
- To allege, or think, to be like; to represent as like; to compare; as, to liken life to a pilgrimage. [OE. liknen. See Like, a.]
- graceless a.
- Wanting in grace or excellence; departed from, or deprived of, divine grace; hence, depraved; corrupt.
- furtive a.
- Stolen; obtained or characterized by stealth; sly; secret; stealthy; as, a furtive look. Prior. [L. furtivus, fr. furtum theft, fr. fur thief, akin to ferre to bear: cf. F. furtif. See Fertile.]
- boon n.
- A prayer or petition. [OE. bone, boin, a petition, fr. Icel. b; akin to Sw. & Dan. b, AS. b, and perh. to E. ban; but influenced by F. bon good, fr. L. bonus. Ban, Bounty.]
- hereto adv.
- To this; hereunto. Hooker.
- themis n.
- The goddess of law and order; the patroness of existing rights.
- erewhiles adv.
- Some time ago; a little while before; heretofore.
- twain a.
- Two;- nearly obsolete in common discourse, but used in poetry and burlesque. [OE. twein, tweien, tweyne, AS. twegen, masc. See Two.]
- lastly adv.
- In the last place; in conclusion.
- endear v. t.
- To make dear or beloved.
Definitions and etymologies from Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913.
About this text
Carmen LXVIII: To Manius on Various Matters is in the public domain. This text is taken from The Carmina, Project Gutenberg ebook #20732, the Richard Burton translation; the transcription's header, footer and licence were removed and nothing else was changed. You may copy, print and reuse it freely.
Cite as: Catullus, Carmen LXVIII: To Manius on Various Matters, in The Carmina (1894), text of Project Gutenberg ebook #20732, Laurel, https://laurelpoetry.com/poem/catullus-carmina/carmen-lxviii-to-manius-on-various-matters.html, id L13849.
Form and metre
Carmen LXVIII: To Manius on Various Matters is 159 lines in a single verse paragraph. It is unrhymed, as far as the pronouncing dictionary can tell. The metre is dactylic pentameter, measured from the stress the words themselves fix (confidence 70%). 75% of its stressed syllables fall where the metre puts the beat. The lines average 13.4 syllables. 47 lines end on an unstressed syllable, a feminine ending. 33% of the lines run on without a stop at the line end.
See other poems in dactylic pentameter.
Measured by Laurel's pipeline, not copied from a handbook: how stress and metre are counted, how rhyme is lettered, how a drifted rhyme is found. Where the dictionary cannot confirm a rhyme the letter is withheld, not guessed.
Rhyme words, stanza by stanza
The word that ends each line, lettered by the rhyme it makes; a dash is a line whose rhyme the dictionary could not confirm.
- 1 --A--A---------------------------------BB--B-C--C--------------------------D--D----E--E--F-F-F----------------------G---G-----H--H----------------------------- misfortune · tears · oceanA · death · refreshment · loneA · writers · care · entitled · give · manius · hate · drowned · require · given · spring · goddess · mix · sorrow · me · brother · house · tide · days · wholly · soul · catullus · mark · limbs · ruth · grieving · present · writings · homed · harvest · one · malignant · mood · supplied · supplyB · meB · deigned · oblivious · meB · many · proclaimC · more · webbing · nameC · faced · ground · or · thermopylae · weeping · wet · springlet · moss · downpouring · way · wayworn · fields · glooming · breeze · castor · afford · open · dame · deeds · hued · threshold · while · helpmate · besought · bloodshed · seats · virginD · lords · poured · manD · mate · come · sated · off · happenE · walls · argives · begunE · europe · men · lamentedF · me · tideF · house · enjoyedF · days · pavestones · kin · entombed · bourne · hood · homes · paris · bed · laodamia · itself · passion · abyss · cyllene · soils · mountains · amphtryoniades · monsters · worth · godheads · doomed · marish · bearG · tide · reared · forbears · appearG · kinship · poll · plumage · heat · billing · stillH · lowe · spouse · littleH · life · thither · dress · contented · discreet · fashion · host · husband · jove · liken · sire · committed · scents · me · breast · only · denotes · verses · galore · sullied · again · erewhiles · bestow · is · dame · together · born · dearer · endear
Scansion, line by line
Each line with its syllable count and the stresses the words themselves fix: / stressed, ˘ unstressed, · a syllable the word leaves free and the metre decides. Read against dactylic pentameter. How this is done.
| Line | Syl. | Stress |
|---|---|---|
| When to me sore opprest by bitter chance of misfortune | 14 | ····/˘·/˘··˘/˘ |
| This thy letter thou send'st written wi' blotting of tears, | 13 | ··/˘··/˘·/˘·· |
| So might I save thee flung by spuming billows of ocean, | 13 | ·········/˘·/ |
| Shipwreckt, rescuing life snatcht from the threshold of death; | 12 | ··/˘····/··· |
| Eke neither Venus the Holy to rest in slumber's refreshment | 16 | ·/˘/˘·/˘···/˘˘/˘ |
| Grants thee her grace on couch lying deserted and lone, | 13 | ······/˘˘/˘·· |
| Nor can the Muses avail with dulcet song of old writers | 14 | ···/˘˘/·/˘···/ |
| Ever delight thy mind sleepless in anxious care; | 11 | /˘/··/˘·/˘· |
| Grateful be this to my thought since thus thy friend I'm entitled, | 15 | /˘··········˘/˘ |
| Hence of me seekest thou gifts Muses and Venus can give: | 14 | ···/˘··/˘·/˘·· |
| But that bide not unknown to thee my sorrows (O Manius!) | 14 | ····˘/···/˘··· |
| And lest office of host I should be holden to hate, | 13 | ··/˘·····/˘·· |
| Learn how in Fortune's deeps I chance myself to be drowned, | 13 | ···/˘····/··· |
| Nor fro' the poor rich boons furthermore prithee require. | 13 | ······/˘·/˘·/ |
| What while first to myself the pure-white garment was given, | 13 | ·····/···/˘·/ |
| Whenas my flowery years flowed in fruition of spring, | 13 | /˘·/˘···˘/˘·· |
| Much I disported enow, nor 'bode I a stranger to Goddess | 16 | ·····˘/····/˘·/˘ |
| Who with our cares is lief sweetness of bitter to mix: | 13 | ··/···/˘·/˘·· |
| Yet did a brother's death pursuits like these to my sorrow | 14 | ···/˘·˘/····/˘ |
| Bid for me cease: Oh, snatcht brother! from wretchedest me. | 12 | ······/˘·/˘· |
| Then, yea, thou by thy dying hast broke my comfort, O brother; | 15 | ·····/˘···/˘·/˘ |
| Buried together wi' thee lieth the whole of our house; | 13 | /˘˘/˘······/· |
| Perisht along wi' thyself all gauds and joys of our life-tide, | 15 | ··˘/·˘/·····/·· |
| Douce love fostered by thee during the term of our days. | 13 | ··/˘··/˘···/· |
| After thy doom of death fro' mind I banished wholly | 13 | ·········/˘/˘ |
| Studies like these, and all lending a solace to soul; | 13 | /˘····/˘·/˘·· |
| Wherefore as to thy writ:--"Verona's home for Catullus | 14 | /˘····˘/˘····· |
| Bringeth him shame, for there men of superior mark | 12 | /˘······˘/˘· |
| Must on a deserted couch fain chafe their refrigerate limbs:" | 15 | ···˘/˘····˘/˘·· |
| Such be no shame (Manius!): rather 'tis matter of ruth. | 13 | ······/˘·/˘·· |
| Pardon me, then, wilt thou an gifts bereft me by grieving | 14 | /˘······˘/··/˘ |
| These I send not to thee since I avail not present. | 13 | ········˘/·/˘ |
| For, that I own not here abundant treasure of writings | 14 | ······˘/˘/˘·/˘ |
| Has for its cause, in Rome dwell I; and there am I homed, | 13 | ············· |
| There be my seat, and there my years are gathered to harvest; | 14 | ·········/˘·/˘ |
| Out of book-cases galore here am I followed by one. | 14 | ···/˘˘/···/˘·· |
| This being thus, nill I thou deem 'tis spirit malignant | 12 | ·/······/˘/˘ |
| Acts in such wise or mind lacking of liberal mood | 12 | ······/˘·/˘· |
| That to thy prayer both gifts be not in plenty supplied: | 13 | ·········/˘˘/ |
| Willingly both had I sent, had I the needed supply. | 13 | /˘·······/˘˘/ |
| Nor can I (Goddesses!) hide in what things Allius sent me | 13 | ···/˘········ |
| Aid, forbear to declare what was the aidance he deigned: | 13 | ·˘/·˘/···/˘·· |
| Neither shall fugitive Time from centuries ever oblivious | 13 | /˘·/˘··/˘/˘/˘ |
| Veil in the blinds of night friendship he lavisht on me. | 13 | ······/˘····· |
| But will I say unto you what you shall say to the many | 14 | ·············/ |
| Thousands in turn, and make paper, old crone, to proclaim | 13 | /˘····/˘···˘/ |
| And in his death become noted the more and the more, | 13 | ····˘//˘····· |
| Nor let spider on high that weaves her delicate webbing | 12 | ··/·····/˘/˘ |
| Practise such labours o'er Allius' obsolete name. | 12 | /˘·/˘···/˘·· |
| For that ye weet right well what care Amathusia two-faced | 14 | ·············· |
| Gave me, and how she dasht every hope to the ground, | 12 | ······/˘···· |
| Whenas I burnt so hot as burn Trinacria's rocks or | 13 | /˘··········· |
| Mallia stream that feeds Oetean Thermopylae; | 10 | /˘········ |
| Nor did these saddened eyes to be dimmed by assiduous weeping | 15 | ···/˘·····˘/˘/˘ |
| Cease, and my cheeks with showers ever in sadness be wet. | 12 | ·····//·/˘·· |
| E'en as from aery heights of mountain springeth a springlet | 14 | ···/˘··/˘/˘·/˘ |
| Limpidest leaping forth from rocking felted with moss, | 13 | ···/˘··/˘/˘·· |
| Then having headlong rolled the prone-laid valley downpouring, | 13 | ·/˘/·····/˘/˘ |
| Populous region amid wendeth his gradual way, | 12 | /˘/˘˘//˘·/˘· |
| Sweetest solace of all to the sweltering traveller wayworn, | 14 | /˘/˘····/˘/˘/˘ |
| Whenas the heavy heat fissures the fiery fields; | 12 | /˘·/˘·/˘·/˘· |
| Or, as to seamen lost in night of whirlwind a-glooming | 14 | ···/˘····/··/˘ |
| Gentle of breath there comes fairest and favouring breeze, | 12 | /˘····/˘·/˘· |
| Pollux anon being prayed, nor less vows offered to Castor:-- | 14 | /˘˘//····/˘·/˘ |
| Such was the aidance to us Manius pleased to afford. | 13 | ···/˘······˘/ |
| He to my narrow domains far wider limits laid open, | 14 | ···/˘˘/·//˘·/˘ |
| He too gave me the house, also he gave me the dame, | 13 | ······/˘····· |
| She upon whom both might exert them, partners in love deeds. | 14 | ······˘/·/˘··· |
| Thither graceful of gait pacing my goddess white-hued | 13 | /˘/˘··/˘·/˘·· |
| Came and with gleaming foot on the worn sole of the threshold | 14 | ···/˘·······/· |
| Stood she and prest its slab creaking her sandals the while; | 13 | ······/˘·/˘·· |
| E'en so with love enflamed in olden days to her helpmate, | 14 | ·······/˘···/˘ |
| Laodamia the home Protesilean besought, | 11 | ·········˘/ |
| Sought, but in vain, for ne'er wi' sacrificial bloodshed | 13 | ········˘/˘/· |
| Victims appeased the Lords ruling Celestial seats: | 12 | /˘˘/··/˘˘/˘· |
| Never may I so joy in aught (Rhamnusian Virgin!) | 12 | /·········/˘ |
| That I engage in deed maugre the will of the Lords. | 13 | ··˘/··/˘····· |
| How starved altar can crave for gore in piety poured, | 12 | ··/˘·····/˘· |
| Laodamia learnt taught by the loss of her man, | 11 | ··········· |
| Driven perforce to loose the neck of new-wedded help-mate, | 13 | /˘/······/˘·· |
| Whenas a winter had gone, nor other winter had come, | 14 | /˘·/˘···/˘/˘·· |
| Ere in the long dark nights her greeding love was so sated | 14 | ·······/˘···/˘ |
| That she had power to live maugre a marriage broke off, | 13 | ···/··/˘·/˘·· |
| Which, as the Parcae knew, too soon was fated to happen | 14 | ···/˘····/˘·/˘ |
| Should he a soldier sail bound for those Ilian walls. | 12 | ···/˘······· |
| For that by Helena's rape, the Champion-leaders of Argives | 14 | ···/˘··/˘/˘··· |
| Unto herself to incite Troy had already begun, | 14 | ··˘/·˘/··˘/˘/˘ |
| Troy (ah, curst be the name) common tomb of Asia and Europe, | 15 | ······/˘··/˘·/˘ |
| Troy to sad ashes that turned valour and valorous men! | 14 | ···/˘··/˘·/˘˘· |
| Eke to our brother beloved, destruction ever lamented | 14 | ··//˘˘/˘/˘/˘/˘ |
| Brought she: O Brother for aye lost unto wretchedmost me, | 14 | ···/˘········· |
| Oh, to thy wretchedmost brother lost the light of his life-tide, | 15 | ······/˘······· |
| Buried together wi' thee lieth the whole of our house: | 13 | /˘˘/˘······/· |
| Perisht along wi' thyself forthright all joys we enjoyed, | 14 | ··˘/·˘///···˘/ |
| Douce joys fed by thy love during the term of our days; | 13 | ······/˘···/· |
| Whom now art tombed so far nor 'mid familiar pavestones | 14 | ········˘/˘··· |
| Nor wi' thine ashes stored near to thy kith and thy kin, | 13 | ···/˘········ |
| But in that Troy obscene, that Troy of ill-omen, entombed | 14 | ····˘/····/˘˘/ |
| Holds thee, an alien earth-buried in uttermost bourne. | 13 | ···/˘·/˘·/˘˘· |
| Thither in haste so hot ('tis said) from allwhere the Youth-hood | 14 | /˘·······/˘··· |
| Grecian, fared in hosts forth of their hearths and their homes, | 12 | /˘·········· |
| Lest with a stolen punk with fullest of pleasure should Paris | 15 | ···/˘··/˘·/˘·/˘ |
| Fairly at leisure and ease sleep in the pacific bed. | 14 | /˘·/˘·····˘/˘· |
| Such was the hapless chance, most beautiful Laodamia, | 12 | ···/˘··/˘··· |
| Tare fro' thee dearer than life, dearer than spirit itself, | 13 | ···/˘··/˘·/˘/ |
| Him, that husband, whose love in so mighty a whirlpool of passion | 16 | ··/˘····/˘·/··/˘ |
| Whelmed thee absorbed and plunged deep in its gulfy abyss, | 13 | ··˘/·····/˘˘/ |
| E'en as the Grecians tell hard by Pheneus of Cyllene | 13 | ···/˘········ |
| Drained was the marish and dried, forming the fattest of soils, | 14 | ···/˘··/˘·/˘·· |
| Whenas in days long done to delve through marrow of mountains | 14 | /˘·······/˘·/˘ |
| Dared, falsing his sire, Amphtryoniades; | 10 | ·˘/˘·/˘··· |
| What time sure of his shafts he smote Stymphalian monsters | 13 | ···········/˘ |
| Slaying their host at the hest dealt by a lord of less worth, | 14 | /˘············ |
| So might the gateway of Heaven be trodden by more of the godheads, | 16 | ···/··/·/˘····/· |
| Nor might Hebe abide longer to maidenhood doomed. | 12 | ···˘//˘·/˘˘· |
| Yet was the depth of thy love far deeper than deepest of marish | 16 | ········/˘·/˘·/˘ |
| Which the hard mistress's yoke taught him so tamely to bear; | 13 | ···/˘····/˘·· |
| Never was head so dear to a grandsire wasted by life-tide | 14 | /······/˘/˘··· |
| Whenas one daughter alone a grandson so tardy had reared, | 15 | /˘·/˘˘/·/··/˘·· |
| Who being found against hope to inherit riches of forbears | 15 | ·/·····˘/˘/˘··· |
| In the well-witnessed Will haply by name did appear, | 13 | ···/˘·/˘···˘/ |
| And 'spite impious hopes of baffled claimant to kinship | 14 | ··˘/˘··/˘/˘·/· |
| Startles the Vulturine grip clutching the frost-bitten poll. | 14 | /˘·/˘˘·/˘··/˘· |
| Nor with such rapture e'er joyed his mate of snowy-hued plumage | 15 | ···/˘·····/˘·/˘ |
| Dove-mate, albeit aye wont in her immoderate heat | 14 | ··˘/˘····˘/˘˘· |
| Said be the bird to snatch hot kisses with beak ever billing, | 14 | ·······/˘··//˘ |
| As diddest thou:--yet is Woman multivolent still. | 13 | ·/˘···/˘····· |
| But thou 'vailedest alone all these to conquer in love-lowe, | 15 | ·····˘/···/˘··· |
| When conjoined once more unto thy yellow-haired spouse. | 12 | ··/·····/˘·· |
| Worthy of yielding to her in naught or ever so little | 14 | /˘·/˘·····/·/˘ |
| Came to the bosom of us she, the fair light of my life, | 14 | ···/˘········· |
| Round whom fluttering oft the Love-God hither and thither | 13 | ··/˘····/˘·/˘ |
| Shone with a candid sheen robed in his safflower dress. | 12 | ···/˘····/˘· |
| She though never she bide with one Catullus contented, | 13 | ··/·······˘/˘ |
| Yet will I bear with the rare thefts of my dame the discreet, | 14 | ············˘/ |
| Lest over-irk I give which still of fools is the fashion. | 13 | ···········/˘ |
| Often did Juno eke Queen of the Heavenly host | 12 | /˘·/˘····/˘· |
| Boil wi' the rabidest rage at dire default of a husband | 14 | ···/˘···˘/··/˘ |
| Learning the manifold thefts of her omnivolent Jove, | 14 | /˘·/˘········· |
| Yet with the Gods mankind 'tis nowise righteous to liken, | 14 | ····//·/˘/˘·/˘ |
| Rid me of graceless task fit for a tremulous sire. | 12 | ···/˘····/˘/ |
| Yet was she never to me by hand paternal committed | 14 | ···/····˘/˘˘/˘ |
| Whenas she came to my house reeking Assyrian scents; | 13 | /˘·····/˘˘/˘· |
| Nay, in the darkness of night her furtive favours she deigned me, | 15 | ···/˘···/˘/˘··· |
| Self-willed taking herself from very mate's very breast. | 13 | ··/˘˘/·/˘·/˘· |
| Wherefore I hold it enough since given to us and us only | 15 | /˘···˘/·/····/˘ |
| Boon of that day with Stone whiter than wont she denotes. | 12 | ······/···˘/ |
| This to thee--all that I can--this offering couched in verses | 14 | ········/˘··/˘ |
| (Allius!) as my return give I for service galore; | 13 | ····˘/···/˘˘/ |
| So wi' the seabriny rust your name may never be sullied | 14 | ··········/·/˘ |
| This day and that nor yet other and other again. | 13 | ······/˘·/˘˘/ |
| Hereto add may the Gods all good gifts, which Themis erewhiles | 15 | ˘/········/˘··· |
| Wont on the pious of old from her full store to bestow: | 13 | ···/·······˘/ |
| Blest be the times of the twain, thyself and she who thy life is, | 15 | ·······˘/······ |
| Also the home wherein dallied we, no less the Dame, | 13 | /˘····/˘····· |
| Anser to boot who first of mortals brought us together, | 14 | ·······/˘··˘/˘ |
| Whence from beginning all good Fortunes that blest us were born. | 14 | ··˘/˘··/˘····· |
| Lastly than every else one dearer than self and far dearer, | 15 | /˘·/˘··/˘····/˘ |
| Light of my life who alive living to me can endear. | 14 | ·····˘//˘···˘/ |
The reader shows the same poem with its rhymes coloured and a stress row above each line, the notes beside their stanzas, and any word's definition on a tap; the analysis page takes the whole book apart. How every part of this site was made.