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Carmen 51
Carmen 51
ille mī pār esse deō vidētur,
ille, sī fas est, superāre dīvōs
quī sedēns adversus identidem tē
spectat et audit
dulce rīdentem, miserō quod omnēs 5
ēripit sensūs mihi: nam simul tē,
Lesbia, aspexī, nihil est super mī
…
lingua sed torpet, tenuis sub artūs
flamma dēmānat, sonitū suōpte 10
tintinant aurēs, geminā teguntur
lūmina nocte.
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NotesCatullus models this poem on one by Sappho of Lesbos. The fourth line in the second stanza is missing in the manuscript tradition – hence the gap. The poem is addressed to his beloved, whom he nicknames Lesbia, in honor of Sappho. Meter: Sapphic stanzas
1 vidētur esse = “seems to be” mī = mihi2 sī fas est = “if it is permitted”, i.e., if it may be said without offending the gods3 quī = “who” sedēns = “sitting” adversus tē = “opposite …”5 dulce (adverb) = “sweetly” rīdentem = “laughing” quod here = “a thing which” omnēs … sensūs = “all my senses”; miserō with mihi6 simul aspexī = “as soon as I …”9 tenuis with flamma artūs = “limbs”10 dēmanō, dēmanāre = “to trickle down, glide down” suōpte from suō + -pte = “their own” sonitū (ablative) = “sound”11 teguntur (passive voice) = “are covered”12 lūmina, “lamps”, for oculī
Lawrence Alma-Tadema,
Alcaeus & Sappho
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