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latinlizard · 9 months

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Propertius 1.14

Tv licet abiectus Tiberina molliter unda you lay luxuriously by the gentle waves of the Tiber

Lesbia Mentoreo uina bibas opere, and drink Lesbian wines from Mentorean ware,

et modo tam celeres mireris currere lintres and you now marvel at the speed of the skiffs

et modo tam tardas funibus ire rates; and now at how slowly the barges move on cables;

et nemus omne altas tibi tendat uertice siluas and though all the grove stretches up as tall

urgetur quantis Caucasus arboribus; as the trees that crowd on Caucasus,

non tamen ista meo ualeant contendere amori: however non of this compares to my love:

nescit Amor magnis cedere diuitiis. Amor does not know how to yield to grear lengths.

nam siue optatam mecum trahit illa quietem, for whether she takes her desired ret with me,

seu facili totum ducit amore diem, or drives our whole day with lingering sex,

tum mihi Pactoli ueniunt sub tecta liquores, then under my roof will the waters of Pactolus flow,

et legitur Rubris gemma sub aequoribus; and beneat the red sea a gem is picked for me;

tum mihi cessuros spondent mea gaudia reges: then my delights promise that kings will yield to me;

quae maneant, dum me fata perire uolent! may they continue, whilst fate wishes I would die!

nam quis diuitiis aduerso gaudet Amore? for who enjoys delight in wealth when Amor is against him?

nulla mihi tristi praemia sint Venere.

for me there could be no riches whilst Venus is upset.

illa potest magnas heroum infringere uires; she is able to break the great strength of heroes;

illa etiam duris mentibus esse dolor; she also can be a cause of pain to the most strong hearts;

illa neque Arabium metuit transcendere limen,

she is able to cross the Arabian thresholds

nec timet ostrino, Tulle, subire toro,

nor was she afraid to trespass in the purple place, Tullus,

et miserum toto iuuenem uersare cubili:

and make all wretched young men to return to bed;

quid releuant uariis serica textilibus? what relief is there to be found in various silk textiles?

quae mihi dum placata aderit, non Lyda uerebor whilst she comes to me smirking, I shall not fear

regna uel Alcinoi munera despicere.

to despise the kingdom of Croesus or the riches of Alcinous.

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latinlizard · 9 months

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Catullus 50

Writing Tablet 343: Letter from Octavius to Candidus concerning supplies of wheat, hides and sinews.

Hesterno, Licini, die otiosi yesterday, Licinius, at leisure multum lusimus in meis tabellis, much fun was made in my writing tablets, ut conuenerat esse delicatos: as we'd agreed to be the nice ones: scribens uersiculos uterque nostrum writing light verses each of us ludebat numero modo hoc modo illoc, it played with many meters of this and that, reddens mutua per iocum atque uinum. repaying each other through fun and wine. atque illinc abii tuo lepore and so I left that place with your charm incensus, Licini, facetiisque, fuelling my fire, Licinius, and your humours, ut nec me miserum cibus iuuaret so that even food could not give poor me help nec somnus tegeret quiete ocellos, nor could i rest my eyes in sleep, sed toto indomitus furore lecto but completely excited turning in bed uersarer, cupiens uidere lucem, and tossing, desiring to see the light, ut tecum loquerer simulque ut essem. so that i may speak with you in the same way as i have. at defessa labore membra postquam but after the limbs were worn out with labour semimortua lectulo iacebant, they lay on the bed half-dead, hoc, iucunde, tibi poema feci, here, little delight, for you i have a poem, ex quo perspiceres meum dolorem. out of which you may see my pain. nunc audax caue sis, precesque nostras, now beware of boldness, and for our prayers, oramus, caue despuas, ocelle, we beg, beqare of showing contempt, little darling, ne poenas Nemesis reposcat a te. so that Nemesis may not demand punishment from you. est uemens dea: laedere hanc caueto. she is a violent goddess: you will beware to offend her.

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