Petronius: “Love Will Not Let The Poet Sleep” - TRANLATION

Question 1

lecto compositus vix prima silentia noctis

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Answer 1

Settled on my bed I was only just enjoying the first silence of night

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Question 2

carpebam et somno lumina victa dabam,

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Answer 2

And I was giving my defeated eyes to sleep,

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Question 3

cum me saevus Amor prensat sursumque capillis

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Answer 3

When cruel Love grabs hold of me and raises me up by the hair

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Question 4

excitat et lacerum pervigilare iubet.

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Answer 4

And orders me to stay awake although I was shattered.

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Question 5

“tu famulus meus” inquit “ames cum mille puellas,

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Answer 5

“You, my slave,” he said, “although you love a thousand girls

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Question 6

solus, io, solus, dure, iacere potes?”

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Answer 6

how are you able to lie alone, hey, hard-hearted man?”

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Question 7

exsilio et pedibus nudis tunicaque soluta

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Answer 7

I jump up and with bare feet and with a loose tunic

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Question 8

omne iter impedio, nullum iter expedio.

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Answer 8

I block all the road, and I free none of the road.

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Question 9

nunc propero, nunc ire piget, rursumque redire

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Answer 9

Now I hurry, now it displeases me to go, and again I regret returning,

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Question 10

paenitet, et pudor est stare via media.

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Answer 10

And I am ashamed to stand in the middle of the road.

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Question 11

ecce tacent voces hominum strepitusque viarum

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Answer 11

See, the voices of men and the noise of the streets

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Question 12

et volucrum cantus turbaque fida canum:

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Answer 12

And the singing of birds and the faithful crowd of dogs are silent:

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Question 13

solus ego ex cunctis paveo somnumque torumque,

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Answer 13

I alone out of everyone dread sleep and my bed,

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Question 14

et sequor imperium, magne Cupido, tuum.

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Answer 14

And I follow your command, great Cupid.

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