#catullus 8

[terrorignitis]

quae tibi manet uita? quis nunc te adibit? cui uideberis bella? quem nunc amabis? cuius esse diceris? quem basiabis? cui labella mordebis?

Catullus 8

[martianbugsbunny]

@ Crosshair after he divorced Hunter joined the Empire

[thesarosperiod]

was writing an essay on catullus translations, thought "what if catullus... but dialouge," and then this happened. something something poetry as a conversation between the poet and another (or themself)

(translation is not mine—this is a.s. kline's catullus 8; i rearranged the text and made some minor pronoun changes.)

[itslookingback]

me reading catullus 8 for the first time, seeing "who will you love now? whose will you be called? who will you kiss? whose lips will you bite?" written 2000 years ago and now feeling shrimp emotions:

[domina-suggestions]

[justalatinstudentsfriend]

Lesbia’s Retort

You are a fool,

That you have right

Though you shade me in public

You cry in the night

For I was the best woman in your life

And now I will never be your wife

*

You think in your pants

And not in your head

And so I had always to lead,

But to always be ahead

While you were always behind

Was more tiresome than could be believed

*

You command me to endure

And say you will as well,

But what is more believable

Is that you will be felled

By the pain in your heart

Over losing such a wit as me

*

You say I will be alone

And call me wicked as can be

But no one is more foul than you

Who denigrates me

For the sign of a dolt

Is pointing out others faults, see

*

You conclude your childish rant

By asking who I will kiss

And that I do not know

But I do know this:

On those cool nights I will be missed

By you, crusty Catullus

*

I offer you this one piece of advice:

That which you see with your eyes,

As pretty as it may be,

Must be fed with more than sweet sentiments

That so soon turn sour

Farewell, do not return, you have been seen

*Inspired by Catullus 8

[girlalcuin]

Basta, Catullo, smetti di smaniare e quello che ormai è andato fallo andare. Brillava un tempo fulgido il tuo astro: tu le venivi dietro ovunque andava, che l'amavamo come mai nessuna. Allora, quanti - molti - sfizi, giochi che tu volevi e lei non rifiutava. Brillava fulgido il tuo astro, è vero. Adesso lei non vuole, e tu non puoi rincorrerla; basta tristezza, e invece resisti, non mollare - tieni duro! Catullo qui resiste, ciao ciao cara! Ti cerca? No! Ti chiama? Non lo vuoi, ma soffrirai, chiamata da nessuno. Problema tuo! Che vita che ti resta! Chi andrà da te? E chi ti vedrà bella? E chi amerai, a chi apparterrai? Chi bacerai, a chi morder le labbra? Ostinati, Catullo, tieni duro.

[pinkatchristmas]

Wretched Catullus, stop being a fool, and what you see has perished, consider perished. Blazing suns once shone for you when you would always come where the girl led, a girl beloved by us as no girl will be loved. There when those many playful things happened, things which you wanted, nor was the girl unwilling, truly, blazing suns shone for you. Now, now she is not willing; you, powerless, must not want: do not follow one who flees, do not live miserably, but endure with a resolute mind, harden yourself. Farewell, girl! Already Catullus is firm, he will not seek you out, nor will he ask one who is unwilling. But you will be sad when you are not asked. Woe to you, miserable woman! What sort of life remains for you? Who now will come to you? To whom will you seem pretty? Whom now will you love? Whose will you be said to be? Whom will you kiss? Whose lips will you bite? But you, Catullus, be resolved to be strong.

Catullus 8 

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