Petronius - Love Will Not Let the Poet Sleep

Question 1

1 lecto compositus vix prima silentia noctis
2 carpebam et somno lumina victa dabam

Answer 1

Only just settled in bed I was enjoying the first silence of the night
and I was giving my wearied eyes to sleep,

Question 2

3 cum me saevus Amor prensat sursumque capillis
4 excitat et lacerum pervigilare iubet.

Answer 2

When fierce Love grabbed me and raised (me) upwards by the hair and ordered me, shattered, to stay awake.

Question 3

5 “tu famulus meus,” inquit, “ames cum mille puellas,
6 solus, io, solus, dure, iacere potes?”

Answer 3

He said ‘Are you, my slave, although you love a thousand girls, able to lie alone, hey, alone, heard-hearted one?’

Question 4

7 exsilio et pedibus nudis tunicaque soluta
8 omne iter impedio, nullum iter expedio.

Answer 4

I jumped up and with naked feet and loose tunic I blocked the whole road, I freed no road.

Question 5

9 nunc propero, nunc ire piget, rursumque redire
10 paenitet, et pudor est stare via media.

Answer 5

Now I hurry, now it displeases me to go, and again it sorrows me to return,
and I am ashamed to stand in the middle of the street.

Question 6

11 ecce tacent voces hominum strepitusque viarum
12 et volucrum cantus turbaque fida canum:

Answer 6

Look, the voices of men are silent and the din of the streets
and the songs of the birds and the faithful crowd of dogs:

Question 7

13 solus ego ex cunctis paveo somnumque torumque,
14 et sequor imperium, magne Cupido, tuum.

Answer 7

I alone out of all dread both sleep and bed,
and I follow your command, great Cupid.