Q. VALERII CATULLI VERONENSIS CARMIN A. I. Quor dono lepidum novum libellum II. Passer, deliciae meae puellae, Quicum ludere, quem in sinu tenere, 1.-1. Quoi] Older form of cui. 6. tribus-chartis] books.' 'In three 5 10 8. Quare libelli Qualecunque ; quod o] This, which is Ellis's reading, appears preferable. Lachmann supposes a verse to have been lost, and so reads 'Qualecunque quidem... patrona virgo.quicquid-qualecunque. The entire contents, all that there is of it, whatever its value.' 、 II.-1. deliciae]' Pet,' favourite.' 3. primum digitum] The tip of her finger. B Cum desiderio meo nitenti Carum nescio quid libet iocari Credo ut tum gravis acquiescat ardor. Et tristis animi levare curas! Tam gratum est mihi quam ferunt puellae Quod zonam soluit diu ligatam. III. Lugete, o Veneres Cupidinesque, Sed circumsiliens modo huc modo illuc 5. desiderio] Object of my affec- 8.] For ut tum, other readings are ut cum, et cum. For acquiescat, acquiescit and acquiescet. 11. puellae] Atalanta, who, through stopping to pick up the 10 10 15 golden apples thrown down by Hippomenes, lost her race with him, and so, agreeably to the conditions of running, became his wife. 13. zonam] The badge of maidenhood. III.-6, mellitus] 'Honey-sweet.' 10. pipilabat] Chirped.' 16. io] Must be pronounced here as yo. So, too, at the beginning of several lines in Carm. Ixi. 17. Tua-opera] On your account.' Negare litus insulasve Cycladas Rhodumque nobilem horridamque Thraciam Propontida trucemve Ponticum sinum, IV. 1. Phaselus] pάonλos, a light bark or skiff. It seems to have been Catullus's own yacht. Inf. 19. 2. Ait fuisse navium celerrimus] For Ait se fuisse navium celerrimum.' This Greek construction is employed by Virgil and other poets. 'Sensit medios delapsus in hostes.' Virg. Aen. ii. 377. 13. Amastri Pontica] Quamvis Pontica pinus, Silvae filia nobilis, iactes et genus et nomen inutile.' Hor. Od. i. 14. 11. 15. ultima ex origine] Ex antiquissima nobilissimaque stirpe.' Doering. 18. impotentia] Impotens = aκpaTs, 'violent,' lit. 'uncontrollable.' 'Victoria impotentiores reddit.' Cic. ad Div. iv. 9. Note the lengthening of a in impotentia before fr. So que is lengthened before tr in Virg. Ecl. iv. 51. Terrasque tractusque maris.' 21.] pedem Tóda, the sheet or rope fastening down the lower corner of the sail. Hence, for the wind to strike both sheets, the sail must be set square to it, and the wind be right astern. 22. ulla vota] When in distress at sea, sailors made vows to the gods. It appears that this Phaselus had had no occasion for this act of piety on its last voyage. Cf. Horace, Od. i. 5. 15, 'Uvida suspendisse potenti vestimenta maris Deo.' Novissime hunc ad usque limpidum lacum. Sed haec prius fuere: nunc recondita V. Vivamus, mea Lesbia, atque amemus, Dein mille altera, dein secunda centum, Deinde usque altera mille, deinde centum Aut ne quis malus invidere possit, IX. Veranni, omnibus e meis amicis Antistans mihi milibus trecentis, Fratresque unanimos senemque matrem? Visam te incolumem audiamque Hiberum 5 24. Novissime] Lachmann. For but not by the best Augustan the last time,' finally.' Doering writers. reads novissimo, agreeing with marei, which may be rendered 'most distant' or 'remote.' 27. Gemelle, &c.] The twins Castor and Pollux were the tutelary deities of sailors. 'Sic fratres Helenae lucida sidera.' Hor. Od. i. 3. 2. V.-2. Rumores] 'Talk about us.' 4. Soles occidere] Similiter, Hor. Od. iv. 7. 13, 'Damna tamen celeres reparant coelestia lunae, nos ubi decidimus,' &c. Doering. 7.] basia suavia or oscula. Used also by Martial and Phaedrus, 11. Conturbabimus] Throw the account into disorder,' used of a bankrupt in Martial ix. 4. 5. and Juv. vii. 129, Conturbabit Atlas et non erit uncia tota.' Supply rationes. IX.-2. milibus trecentis] Doering paraphrases this by longè, apparently supplying passuum, taking precedence in my estimation by 300 miles.' [It might also mean 'taking precedence in value by 300,000 sesterces.' A. H. W.] ་ 5. nuntii beati] Happy news.' |