Out Of The Anthologie.<105.1>

<<Esbese ton lychnon moros phyllon apo pollon Daknomenos, lexas ouk eti me blepete.>>

IN AN ENGLISH DISTICK.

A fool, much bit by fleas, put out the light; You shall not see me now (quoth he); good night.

<105.1> This is from Lucian.

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IN RUFUM. CATUL. EP. 64.

Noli admirari, quare tibi foemina nulla, Rufe, velit tenerum supposuisse femur; Non ullam rarae labefactes munere vestis, Aut pellucidulis deliciis lapidis. Laedit te quaedam mala fabula, qua tibi fertur Valle sub alarum trux habitare caper. Hunc metuunt omnes, neque mirum: nam mala valde est Bestia, nec quicum<106.1> bela puella cubet. Quare aut crudelem nasorum interfice pestem, Aut admirari desine, cur fugiant.

TO RUFUS.

That no fair woman will, wonder not why, Clap (Rufus) under thine her tender thigh; Not a silk gown shall once melt one of them, Nor the delights of a transparent gemme. A scurvy story kills thee, which doth tell, That in thine armpits a fierce goat doth dwell. Him they all fear full of an ugly stench:<106.2> Nor 's 't fit he should lye with a handsome wench; Wherefore this noses cursed plague first crush, Or cease to wonder, why they fly you thus.

<106.1> An archaic form of QUOCUM.

<106.2> Original has STINCH.

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CATUL. EP. 71.

DE INCONSTANTIA FOEMINEI AMORIS.

Nulli se dicit mulier mea nubere velle, Quam mihi: non, si Jupiter ipse petat; Dicit; sed mulier cupido quod dicit amanti, In vento et rapida scribere oportet aqua.

FEMALE INCONSTANCY.

My mistresse sayes she'll marry none but me; No, not if Jove himself a suitor be. She sayes so; but what women say to kind Lovers, we write in rapid streams and wind.

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AD LESBIAM, CAT. EP. 73.

Dicebas quondam, solum to nosse Catullum, Lesbia, nec prae me velle tenere Jovem; Dilexi tum te, non tantum ut vulgus amicam, Sed pater ut gnatos diligit et generos. Nunc te cognovi, quare et impensius uror, Multo mi tamen es vilior et levior. Qui potis est inquis, quod amantem injuria talis Cogat amare magis, sed bene velle minus? Odi et amo; quare id faciam, fortasse requiris; Nescio; sed fieri sentio, et excrucior.

ENGLISHED.

That me alone you lov'd, you once did say, Nor should I to the king of gods give way. Then I lov'd thee not as a common dear, But as a father doth his children chear. Now thee I know, more bitterly I smart; Yet thou to me more light and cheaper art. What pow'r is this? that such a wrong should press Me to love more, yet wish thee well much lesse. I hate and love; would'st thou the reason know? I know not; but I burn, and feel it so.

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IN LESBIAM CAT. EP. 76.

Huc est mens deducta tua, mea Lesbia, culpa, Atque ita se officio perdidit ipsa suo. Ut jam nec bene velle queam tibi, si optima sias: Nec desistere amare, omnia si facias.

ENGLISHED.

By thy fault is my mind brought to that pass, That it its office quite forgotten has: For be'est thou best, I cannot wish thee well, And be'est thou worst, then I must love thee still.

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AD QUINTIUM. CAT. EP. 83.

Quinti, si tibi vis oculos debere Catullum, Aut aliud si quid carius est oculis, Eripere ei noli, multo quod carius illi Est oculis, seu quid carius est oculis.

TO QUINTIUS.

Quintius, if you'l endear Catullus eyes, Or what he dearer then his eyes doth prize, Ravish not what is dearer then his eyes, Or what he dearer then his eyes doth prize.

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DE QUINTIA ET LESBIA. EP. 87.

Quintia formosa est multis, mihi candida, longa, Recta est; haec ego sic singula confiteor: Tota illud formosa nego: nam multa venustas; Nulla in tam magno est corpore mica salis. Lesbia formosa est quae, cum pulcherrima tota est, Tum omnibus una omneis surripuit veneres.

ENGLISHED.

Quintia is handsome, fair, tall, straight: all these Very particulars I grant with ease: But she all ore 's not handsome; here's her fault: In all that bulk there's not one corne of salt, Whilst Lesbia, fair and handsome too all ore, All graces and all wit from all hath bore.

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DE SUO IN LESBIAM AMORE. EP. 88.

Nulla potest mulier tantum se dicere amatam Vere, quantum a me Lesbia amata mea est; Nulla fides ullo fuit unquam faedere tanta, Quanta in amore suo ex parte reperta mea est.

ENGLISHED.

No one can boast her self so much belov'd, Truely as Lesbia my affections prov'd; No faith was ere with such a firm knot bound, As in my love on my part I have found.

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AD SYLONEM. EP. 104.

Aut sodes mihi redde decem sestertia, Sylo, Deindo esto quam vis saevus et indomitus; Aut si te nummi delectant, desine, quaeso, Leno esse, atque idem saevus et indomitus.

ENGLISHED.

Sylo, pray pay me my ten sesterces, Then rant and roar as much as you shall please; Or if that mony takes [you,]<107.1> pray, give ore To be a pimp, or else to rant and roar.

<107.1> Original has TAKES, but a word is wanting to complete the metre, and perhaps the poet wrote TAKES YOU, i.e. captivates you.

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