hesternō, Licinī, diē otiōsī
multum lūsimus in meīs tabellīs,
ut convenerat esse dēlicātōs;
scrībēns versiculōs uterque nostrum
lūdēbat numerō modo hoc modo illō,
reddēns mūtua per iocum atque vīnum
Yesterday, Licinius, on a day of leisure, we spent a long time playing on my writing tablets, as we had agreed to be witty and refined; each of us was writing little verses, playing with metre now in this way, now in that, exchanging them back and forth in jest and over wine.
atque illinc abiī tuō lepōre
incēnsus, Licinī, facētīsque,
ut nec mē miserum cibus iuvāret
nec somnus tegeret quiete ocellōs,
sed tōtō indomitus furōre lectō
versārer, cupiēns videre lūcem,
ut tecum loquerer simulque ut essem.
and from there I went away, on fire by your charm and wit such that neither could food help wretched me nor would sleep cover my eyes with slumber but wild with utter raging passion. I was tossing and turning in my bed, desiring to see daylight in order to speek with you and and at the same time to be with you.
at dēfessa labōre membra postquam
sēmimortua lectulō iacēbant,
hoc, iucunde, tibī poēma fēcī,
ex quō perspicerēs meum dolōrem.
nunc audāx cave sīs, precēsque nostrās,
ōrāmus, cave dēspuās, ocelle,
nē poenās Nemesis reposcat ā tē.
est vēmēns dea: laedere hanc cavētō.
But after my limbs, worn out with effort, lay half-dead on the little bed, I made this poem for you, my dear friend, so that you might perceive my suffering; now take care not to be bold, and do not reject my prayers, I beg you, my dear one, lest Nemesis demand punishment from you—she is a powerful goddess, so be careful not to offend her.
cēnābis bene, mī Fabulle, apud mē
paucīs, sī tibi dī favent, diēbus,
sī tēcum attuleris bonam atque magnam
cēnam, nōn sine candidā puellā
et vīnō et sale et omnibus cachinnīs.
haec sī, inquam, attuleris, venuste noster,
cēnābis bene; nam tuī Catullī
plēnus sacculus est arāneārum.
You will dine well, my fabulous, at my house, if the Gods favour you in a few days, if you bring with you a large dinner, not without a beautiful girl and salt and all the laughs. If I say, you bring these things, my charming fellow, you will dine well, for your Catullus’s purse is full of cobwebs.
sed contrā accipiēs merōs amōrēs,
seu quid suāvius ēlegantiusve est:
nam unguentum dabō, quod meae puellae
dōnārum Venerēs Cupidīnēsque,
quod tū cum olfaciēs, deōs rogābis,
tōtum ut tē faciant, Fabulle, nāsum.
But, in return, you will receive undiluted loves, or something which is sweeter or more tasteful, for I will give you a perfume which venus’ and Cupid’s have given to my girl and when you smell it, you will ask the Gods to make you all nose, my fabulous.
