Catullus 64 Text (progressive) Flashcards
PELIACO quondam prognatae uertice pinus
Once upon a time, pines sprung from Pelion’s peak
dicuntur liquidas Neptuni nasse per undas
are said to have swum through the liquid waves of Neptune
Phasidos ad fluctus et fines Aeetaeos,
To the Phasisian waves and the lands of Aeetes,
cum lecti iuuenes, Argiuae robora pubis,
When the chosen youths, the strength of Argive manhood
auratam optantes Colchis auertere pellem
Choosing to snatch the Golden Fleece from the Colchians,
ausi sunt uada salsa cita decurrere puppi,
They dared to traverse with swift ship through the salty waters,
caerula uerrentes abiegnis aequora palmis.
Sweeping the azure sea with fir oars,
diua quibus retinens in summis urbibus arces
For whom the goddess herself occupying the citadels in the highest cities
ipsa leui fecit uolitantem flamine currum,
Made the flying chariot with a light wind,
pinea coniungens inflexae texta carinae.
Fitting the pine timbers to the curved keel.
illa rudem cursu prima imbuit Amphitriten.
She first stained inexperienced Amphitrite with sailing;
Quae simul ac rostro uentosum proscidit aequor,
And when she plowed the windy sea with her beak
tortaque remigio spumis incanuit unda,
and the wave, churned by the oars, grew white with foam
emersere feri candenti e gurgite uultus
faces emerged from the white eddy
aequoreae monstrum Nereides admirantes.
Aquatic Nereides admiring the apparition
illa, atque haud alia, uiderunt luce marinas
On that day, and no other, [mortals] saw
[mortales] oculi nudato corpore Nymphas
with their own eyes [Marine] nymphs, with naked body,
nutricum tenus exstantes e gurgite cano.
as far as their breasts, standing out from the white whirlpool; so I sing.
tum Thetidis Peleus incensus fertur amore,
Then Peleus was set aflame with love of Thetis,
tum Thetis humanos non despexit hymenaeos,
Then Thetis did not despise human marriages
tum Thetidi pater ipse iugandum Pelea sensit.
Then the father himself realized Peleus must be joined to Thetis.
o nimis optato saeclorum tempore nati
O ye born in the choicest of ages,
heroes, saluete, deum genus! o bona matrum
Heroes, Hail to you, race of gods! Oh mothers’…
progenies, saluete iter…
…offspring, hail again!
vos ego saepe meo uos carmine compellabo.
Often I will address you in my song,
teque adeo eximie taedis felicibus aucte,
And you so increased in importance by fortunate wedding torches
Thessaliae columen Peleu, cui Iuppiter ipse,
Oh Peleus height of Thessaly, to whom Jupiter himself,
ipse suos diuum genitor concessit amores.
The father of the gods himself concedes the his own love?
tene Thetis tenuit pulcerrima Neptunine?
Did Thetis, most beautiful daughter of Neptune hold you?
tene suam Tethys concessit ducere neptem,
Did not Tethys, agree to lead you, her own granddaughter
Oceanusque, mari totum qui amplectitur orbem?
and Oceanus who surrounds the whole world with the sea?
Quis simul optato finitae tempore luces
Now when that longed-for day in time fulfilled…
advenere, domum conuentu tota frequentat
…arrived, all [Thessaly] celebrates at the home assembly
[Thessalia], oppletur laetanti regia coetu:
The palace is filled with rejoicing crowd:
dona ferunt prae se, declarant gaudia uultu.
They bear gifts before them, they show their joy with their face.
deseritur Scyros, linquunt Phthiotica Tempe,
Scyros is deserted, they relinquish Phthotic Tempe,
Crannonisque domos ac moenia Larisaea,
And the Crannonian homes and Larissian walls;
Pharsaliam coeunt, Pharsalia tecta frequentant.
They gather at Pharsalus, they crowd the Pharsalian roofs.
rura colit nemo, mollescunt colla iuuencis,
No man tills his field, the necks of cattle grow soft,
non humilis curuis purgatur uinea rastris,
The low vine is not cleansed by curved hoe,
non glebam prono conuellit uomere taurus,
The bull does not dig up the clods with prone plough,
non falx attenuat frondatorum arboris umbram,
The scythe of the pruners does not diminish the shade of the tree,
squalida desertis rubigo infertur aratris.
Dirty rust is spread on deserted plows.
