Latin

English

Ille mi par esse Deo uidetur ,
ille , si fas est , superare Diuos ,
qui sedens aduersus identidem te
spectat et audit

Dulce ridentum , misero quod omnis
Eripit sensus mihi . Nam simul te ,
Lesbia , aspexi , nihil est super mi
( Uocis in ore , )

Lingua see torpet , tenuis sub artus
Flamma damanat , sonitu suopte
Tintinant aures , gemina teguntur
Lumina nocte

otium , Catulle , tibi molestum est .
Otio exsultas nimiumque gestis
Otium et reges prius et beatas
perdidit urbes .

militat omnis amans , et habet sua castra Cupido ;
Attice , crede mihi , militat omnis amans .
quae bello est habilis , Veneri quoque convenit aetas .
turpe senex miles , turpe senilis amor .
quos petiere duces animos in milite forti ,
hos petit in socio bella puella viro .
pervigilant ambo ; terra requiescit uterque—
ille fores dominae servat , at ille ducis .
militis officium longa est via ; mitte puellam ,
strenuus exempto fine sequetur amans .
ibit in adversos montes duplicataque nimbo
flumina , congestas exteret ille nives ,
nec freta pressurus tumidos causabitur Euros
aptave verrendis sidera quaeret aquis .
quis nisi vel miles vel amans et frigora noctis
et denso mixtas perferet imbre nives ?
mittitur infestos alter speculator in hostes ;
in rivale oculos alter , ut hoste , tenet .
ille graves urbes , hic durae limen amicae
obsidet ; hic portas frangit , at ille fores .
saepe soporatos invadere profuit hostes
caedere et armata vulgus inerme manu .
sic fera Threicii ceciderunt agmina Rhesi ,
et dominum capti deseruistis equi .
nempe maritorum somnis utuntur amantes ,
et sua sopitis hostibus arma movent .
custodum transire manus vigilumque catervas
militis et miseri semper amantis opus .
mars dubius nec certa Venus ; victique resurgunt ,
quosque neges umquam posse iacere , cadunt .
ergo desidiam quicumque vocabat amorem ,
desinat . ingenii est experientis amor

Every lover’s in arms , and Cupid holds the fort :
Atticus , believe me , every lover’s in arms ,
The age that’s good for war , is also right for love .
An old soldier’s a disgrace , and an old lover .
That spirit a commander looks for in a brave army ,
a lovely girl looks for love in a love partner .
Both keep watch : both sleep on the ground ,
One serves at his lady’s entrance , the other his general’s .
A long road’s a solder’s task : but send the girl off ,
And a restless lover will follow her to the end .
He’ll go against mountains and bend into stormy rivers ,
He’ll push his way through swollen snowdrifts ,
He’ll not rely on excuses , like angry northerlies ,
Or waiting for suitable stars to take to the waves .
Who but a soldier or a lover could endure
Cold nights of dense snow mixed with rain ?
One’s sent out to spy on attacking forces :
The other keeps eye on his rival , his enemy .
This one lays siege to strong cities , that one his harsh friend’s entrance : one breaks down gates , the other doors .
Often it helps to attack a sleeping enemy ,
And strike the unarmed mass with armed hand .
That’s how Rhesus and his fierce Thracians were killed and forfeited the leader’s captured mares .
Lovers , for sure , will make use of a husbands’s sleep
And employ their arms while the enemy slumbers .
Getting past watchman’s hands , and enemy sentinels
Is work for soldiers and wretched lovers .
Mars is chancy , Venus uncertain : the fallen can rise again ,
While those you think could never be thrown are beaten .
So if you’ve called all lovers idlers , forget it .
Love is all experience and ability .

Every lover serves as a soldier , also Cupid has his own camp ;
Believe me , Atticus , every lover serves as a soldier .
The age which is apt for war , is also suitable for Love :
Disgraceful [ is ] an old man as a soldier , disgraceful [ is ] an elderly lover .
Those spirits which leaders look for in a brave soldier ,
A beautiful girl seeks these in a man as her companion :
Both keep watch at night ; each rests on the ground ;
That one guards the doors of his mistress , that one his general’s .
The duty of the soldier is the long road : send the girl away ,
The vigorous lover will follow with boundary removed ;
He will go onto hostile mountains and rivers doubled
By a rainstorm , he will tread his way through piled up snows ,
Nor [ when ] about to press the seas , will he plead the swollen Southeast Wind
And seek stars suitable for sweeping across the waters .
Who , if neither a soldier nor a lover , will endure the frosts
Of the night and snow mixed with dense rain ?
One is sent among the hostile foes as a spy ,
The other keeps his eye upon his rival , as his enemy .
That one besieges mighty cities , that one the threshold of
A harsh girlfriend ; one breaks down gates , the other doors .
Often it has been beneficial to attack sleepy enemies
And to slaughter an unarmed crowd with an armed hand ;
Thus the fierce troops of Thracian Rhesus fell ,
And you , captured horses , deserted your master :
Certainly lovers use the sleep of husbands
And move their weapons after the enemies sleep .
It is always the work of a soldier and a wretched lover
To pass through the bands of guards and troops of watchmen .
Mars is doubtful nor is Venus certain ; and the conquered rise again ,
And those whom you say never could be brought down , fall .
Therefore whoever called love idleness ,
May he stop : love has an active nature .

Ἑλληνική Transliterate

English

Χθονὸς μὲν εἰς τήλουρον ἥκομεν πέδον ,
Σκύθην ἐς οἷμον , ἄβροτον εἰς ἐρημίαν .
Ἥφαιστε , σοὶ δὲ χρὴ μέλειν ἐπιστολὰς
ἅς σοι πατὴρ ἐφεῖτο , τόνδε πρὸς πέτραις
5ὑψηλοκρήμνοις τὸν λεωργὸν ὀχμάσαι
ἀδαμαντίνων δεσμῶν ἐν ἀρρήκτοις πέδαις .
τὸ σὸν γὰρ ἄνθος , παντέχνου πυρὸς σέλας ,
θνητοῖσι κλέψας ὤπασεν · τοιᾶσδέ τοι
ἁμαρτίας σφε δεῖ θεοῖς δοῦναι δίκην ,
10ὡς ἂν διδαχθῇ τὴν Διὸς τυραννίδα
στέργειν , φιλανθρώπου δὲ παύεσθαι τρόπου .
ΗΦΑΙΣΤΟΣ
Κράτος Βία τε , σφῷν μὲν ἐντολὴ Διὸς
ἔχει τέλος δή , κοὐδὲν ἐμποδὼν ἔτι .
ἐγὼ δ᾿ ἄτολμός εἰμι συγγενῆ θεὸν
15δῆσαι βίᾳ φάραγγι πρὸς δυσχειμέρῳ ·
πάντως δ᾿ ἀνάγκη τῶνδέ μοι τόλμαν σχεθεῖν ,
εὐωριάζειν γὰρ πατρὸς λόγους βαρύ .
τῆς ὀρθοβούλου Θέμιδος αἰπυμῆτα παῖ ,
ἅκοντά σ᾿ ἅκων δυσλύτοις χαλκεύμασιν
20προσπασσαλεύσω τῷδ᾿ ἀπανθρώπῳ πάγῳ ,
ἵν᾿ οὔτε φωνὴν οὔτε του μορφὴν βροτῶν
2ἄβροτον ( or ἄδροτον ) t : ἄβατον codd . t .
6ἀδαμαντίνων δεσμῶν ἐν t : ἀδαμαντίναις ( -οις b΄ , -ῃς b΄ k΄ ) πέδησιν ( -αις or -αισιν I b΄ , -οις b΄ ) ἐν ( om . b΄ k΄ ) codd .
6πέδαις t : πέτραις codd .
17εὐωριάζειν Porson : ἐξωριάζειν codd .