Catullus 10 Translation
Introduction
Catullus begins the poem by talking about his friend Varus who took him from the Forum. At this time, Catullus was relaxing, but Varus took him to see his mistress. Catullus noticed that the mistress was a “nice little whore” at first glance. In line four, he said she was nice looking, as she wasn’t amiss in manner or looks.
Then in line five, he shared that when he and Varus arrived, they all started having small talk. They even talked about Bithynia and what the place is like now. They talked about whether or not he made any money while he was there. Then, Catullus turns the focus of the poem on Bithynia and the people who live there. In line nine, he shares that he answered the questions about Bithynia and how the people of the land cannot figure out how to return to Rome fatter than when they went; this is a reference to how they do not eat much and that they do not have much money.
Then, in line 10, he wrote about a praetor who would molest the people of Bithynia, where he did not care about the people who were under his command. Then, people respond by asking more questions about the area. They wonder if there are bearers for his chair and how the people who would carry his chair are from Bithynia. Catullus said that he convinced the girl that he was more fortunate than other people.
He then continues his story about Bithynia and how he did not get the number of men that he wanted while he was there. He couldn’t find any men. He wanted one that could lift him up. Catullus tried to get the girl to feel sorry for him and she asked if he could share the men he spoke of in Bithynia. Catullus said that she spoke just like a molester. They continued to talk about the men he did not get.
Carmen 10
Line | Latin text | English translation |
|---|---|---|
1 | VARUS me meus ad suos amores | My dear Varus had taken me from the Forum, |
2 | uisum duxerat e foro otiosum, | where I was idling, to pay a visit to his mistress, |
3 | scortillum, ut mihi tum repente uisum est, | a nice little whore, as I thought at a first glance, |
4 | non sane illepidum neque inuenustum, | not at all amiss in manner or looks. |
5 | huc ut uenimus, incidere nobis | When we got there, we fell talking of this and that, |
6 | sermones uarii, in quibus, quid esset | and amongst other things, what sort of place |
7 | iam Bithynia, quo modo se haberet, | Bithynia was now, how its affairs were going on, |
8 | et quonam mihi profuisset aere. | whether I had made any money there. |
9 | respondi id quod erat, nihil neque ipsis | I answered (what was true) that neither the people themselves, |
10 | nec praetoribus esse nec cohorti, | nor the praetors nor their staff can find any means |
11 | cur quisquam caput unctius referret, | of coming back fatter than they went, |
12 | praesertim quibus esset irrumator | especially as they had such a clintonizer for a praetor, |
13 | praetor, nec faceret pili cohortem. | a fellow who did not care a straw for his subalterns. |
14 | 'at certe tamen,' inquiunt 'quod illic | "Well, but at any rate," say they, "you must have got |
15 | natum dicitur esse, comparasti | some bearers for your chair. I am told that is country |
16 | ad lecticam homines.' ego, ut puellae | where they are bred." I, to make myself out to the girl |
17 | unum me facerem beatiorem, | as specially fortunate above rest, |
18 | 'non' inquam 'mihi tam fuit maligne | say, "Things did not go so unkindly with me |
19 | ut, prouincia quod mala incidisset, | --bad as the province was which fell to my chance-- |
20 | non possem octo homines parare rectos.' | to prevent my getting eight straight-backed fellows." |
21 | at mi nullus erat nec hic neque illic | Now I had not a single one, here or there, |
22 | fractum qui ueteris pedem grabati | Strong enough to hoist on his shoulder |
23 | in collo sibi collocare posset. | the broken leg of an old sofa. |
24 | hic illa, ut decuit cinaediorem, | Says she (just like a little sodomite), |
25 | "quaeso" inquit "mihi, mi Catulle, paulum | "I beg you, my dear Catullus, do lend me those slaves you speak of for a moment; |
26 | istos commoda: nam uolo ad Serapim | I want just now to be taken to the temple of Serapis." |
27 | deferri." "mane" inquii puellae, | "Stop," I say to the girl, |
28 | "istud quod modo dixeram me habere, | "what I said just now about those slaves that they were mine, |
29 | fugit me ratio: meus sodalis-- | it was a slip; a friend of mine-- |
30 | Cinna est Gaius-- is sibi parauit. | Gaius Cinna it is-- it was he who bought them; |
31 | uerum, utrum illius an mei, quid ad me? | but it is all one me whether they are his or mine, |
32 | utor tam bene quam mihi pararim. | I use them just if I had bought them for myself: |
33 | sed tu insulsa male et molesta uiuis, | but you are a stupid, tiresome thing, |
34 | per quam non licet esse neglegentem." | who will never let one be off one's guard." |
