BlogLatin

Catallus iii

Note that this is just the first five lines of a longer poem. You can hear it read by Vojin Nedeljkovic

Hover your mouse over the links below for definitions and parts of speech

Lugete, o Veneres Cupidinesque,
et quantum est hominum venustiorum.
passer mortuus est meae puellae,
passer, deliciae meae puellae,
quem plus illa oculis suis amabat.

Literal:

Lament, O Venuses, Cupids,
and all of the most lovely of men (i.e. men who compared to others have grace).
The sparrow of my girl is dead.
The beloved sparrow of my girl,
whom she loved more than her own eyes.

Perseus has a really thorough dissection

Translation by R. Ellis:

Weep each heavenly Venus, all the Cupids,
Weep all men that have any grace about ye,
Dead the sparrow, in whom my love delighted,
The dead sparrow, in whom my love delighted,
Yea, most precious, above her eyes, she held him...

Translation by Sir Richard Francis Burton:

Weep every Venus, and all Cupids wail,
And men whose gentler spirits still prevail.
Dead is the Sparrow of my girl, the joy,
Sparrow, my sweeting's most delicious toy,
Whom loved she dearer than her very eyes;

Translation by Lord Byron:

Ye Cupids, droop each little head,
Nor let your wings with joy be spread,
My Lesbia's favourite bird is dead,
Whom dearer than her eyes she lov'd:

Translation by Leonard Smithers:

O mourn, you Loves and Cupids,
and all men of gracious mind.
Dead is the sparrow of my girl,
sparrow, darling of my girl,
which she loved more than her eyes;

Vocab
lugeo lugere luxi, 2d intransit. to mourn , be in mourning; transit. to bewail, lament, wear mourning for.
Venus -eris, 3d f. Venus.
Cupido -inis, m. Cupid, god of love; plur. Cupidines, Cupids.
homo, hominis, 3d m. man
venustus a um adj. charming, lovely, graceful
passer -eris, 3d m. sparrow
morior mori mortuus moriturus dep. to die; to die away , wither away, decay. Hence partic. mortuus -a -um, dead; decayed, extinct; half-dead
puella -ae, 1st f. girl
delicia -ae, 1st f. favorite/pet/darling/beloved usually plural
qui quae quod who/which