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Catullus
Catullus

Passer, deliciae meae puellae (Catullus 2)
Translations

Catullus 1 Translation Catullus 10 Translation Catullus 100 Translation Catullus 101 Translation Catullus 102 Translation Catullus 103 Translation Catullus 104 Translation Catullus 105 Translation Catullus 106 Translation Catullus 107 Translation Catullus 108 Translation Catullus 109 Translation Catullus 11 Translation Catullus 110 Translation Catullus 111 Translation Catullus 112 Translation Catullus 113 Translation Catullus 114 Translation Catullus 115 Translation Catullus 116 Translation Catullus 12 Translation Catullus 13 Translation Catullus 14 Translation Catullus 15 Translation Catullus 16 Translation Catullus 17 Translation Catullus 2 Translation Catullus 21 Translation Catullus 22 Translation Catullus 23 Translation Catullus 24 Translation Catullus 25 Translation Catullus 26 Translation Catullus 27 Translation Catullus 28 Translation Catullus 29 Translation Catullus 3 Translation Catullus 30 Translation Catullus 31 Translation Catullus 32 Translation Catullus 33 Translation Catullus 34 Translation Catullus 35 Translation Catullus 36 Translation Catullus 37 Translation Catullus 38 Translation Catullus 39 Translation Catullus 4 Translation Catullus 40 Translation Catullus 41 Translation Catullus 42 Translation Catullus 43 Translation Catullus 44 Translation Catullus 45 Translation Catullus 46 Translation Catullus 47 Translation Catullus 48 Translation Catullus 49 Translation Catullus 50 Translation Catullus 51 Translation Catullus 52 Translation Catullus 53 Translation Catullus 54 Translation Catullus 55 Translation Catullus 56 Translation Catullus 57 Translation Catullus 58 Translation Catullus 59 Translation Catullus 6 Translation Catullus 60 Translation Catullus 61 Translation Catullus 62 Translation Catullus 63 Translation Catullus 64 Translation Catullus 65 Translation Catullus 66 Translation Catullus 67 Translation Catullus 68 Translation Catullus 69 Translation Catullus 7 Translation Catullus 70 Translation Catullus 71 Translation Catullus 72 Translation Catullus 73 Translation Catullus 74 Translation Catullus 75 Translation Catullus 76 Translation Catullus 77 Translation Catullus 78 Translation Catullus 79 Translation Catullus 8 Translation Catullus 80 Translation Catullus 81 Translation Catullus 82 Translation Catullus 83 Translation Catullus 84 Translation Catullus 85 Translation Catullus 86 Translation Catullus 87 Translation Catullus 88 Translation Catullus 89 Translation Catullus 9 Translation Catullus 90 Translation Catullus 91 Translation Catullus 92 Translation Catullus 93 Translation Catullus 94 Translation Catullus 95 Translation Catullus 96 Translation Catullus 97 Translation Catullus 98 Translation Catullus 99 Translation
Catullus 82 Translation

Catullus 82 Translation

Introduction

Catullus wrote this poem to his friend Quintus. The poem is almost circular in its logic as Catullus begins by talking about how Quintus would like Catullus to own him his eyes. But, in the second line Catullus mentions how he could owe something dearer than his eyes if there is anything dearer than his eyes.

In line three and four, Catullus tells Quintus not to take what is dearer to him that his eyes or anything else that is dearer than his eyes. So, overall, Quintus wants Catullus to owe him something dea, but Catullus does not want him to take anything that is dear to him. Since they are friends, and potentially lovers, Catullus is already giving him something dear - his affection.

However, there could be a different meaning than love for Catullus. Quintus was associated with Clodia, who is Catullus’s love he calls Lesbia in his poetry. She could be the “aught” (anything) that is dearer to him that his eyes. In other poems about Lesbia, Catullus does refer to her as being more valuable to him than his eyes.

Catullus could also be writing about blindness, especially since love is blind. He loves Quintus. He loves Lesbia. He loves being able to see them. He does not want to lose his sight or lose his loves. The poem, especially in line three, also has a subtle threatening tone to it as Catullus tells Quintus that he should not take what is dearer to him than his eyes or his eyes.

He should not take anything dear to his friend if he wishes his friend to own him something valuable. In other translations, the word snatch is used in place of take, so the threatening tone in line three is there.

Carmen 82

Line	Latin text	English translation
1	QVINTI, si tibi uis oculos debere Catullum	QUINTUS, if you wish Catullus to owe his eyes to you,
2	aut aliud si quid carius est oculis,	or aught else that is dearer than eyes, if dearer aught there be,
3	eripere ei noli, multo quod carius illi	do not take from him what is much dearer to him
4	est oculis seu quid carius est oculis.	than his eyes, or aught besides that dearer is than eyes

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