The Poetry of Gaius Valerius Catullus/45

Text and Translation LineLatin TextEnglish Translation 1 Acmen Septimius suos amores Septimius holding his love Acme 2 tenens in gremio "mea" inquit "Acme, on his lap said "My Acme, 3 ni te perdite amo atque amare porro if I do not love you desperately and am ready to love you further 4 omnes sum assidue paratus annos, continuously for all my years, 5 quantum qui pote plurimum perire, as much as one who loves most desperately, 6 solus in Libya Indiaque tosta alone in Libya and scorched India 7 caesio veniam obvius leoni." let me come face to face with the gray-eyed lion." 8 hoc ut dixit, Amor sinistra ut ante As he said this, Love on the left as before 9 dextra sternuit approbationem. on the right sneezed approval. 10 at Acme leviter caput reflectens Then Acme, gently bending back her head, 11 et dulcis pueri ebrios ocellos and kissing the intoxicated little eyes of her sweet boy 12 illo purpureo ore suaviata with that rosy mouth 13 "sic", inquit "mea vita Septimille, said "Thus, my life, my little Septimius, 14 huic uni domino usque serviamus, let us be slaves to this one master, 15 ut multo mihi maior acriorque as a much more eager fire burns 16 ignis mollibus ardet in medullis." in my soft marrow." 17 hoc ut dixit, Amor sinistra ut ante As she said this, Love on the left as before 18 dextra sternuit approbationem. on the right sneezed approval. 19 nunc ab auspicio bono profecti Now, having set out from favorable omens 20 mutuis animis amant amantur. with mutual passions they love and are loved. 21 unam Septimius misellus Acmen Little love-sick Septimius prefers Acme alone 22 mavult quam Syrias Britanniasque: to Syrias and Britains: 23 uno in Septimio fidelis Acme faithful Acme makes her delights and pleasures in 24 facit delicias libidinesque. Septimius alone. 25 quis ullos homines beatiores Who has seen any people more blessed? 26 vidit, quis Venerem auspicatiorem? Who has seen a more favoured love? Connotations of The Text Line 1 Acme - prime; flower; zenith This implies that Acme is the best a man can get. The usage of the Greek word 'Akmen' which means top or best of serves only as flattery. Acme is probably most famous in the cartoon, Wylie Coyote, as Acme is the provider of his useless weapons. The name is directly from the Greek, and used, in this case for a comic effect. Line 22 Syrias Britanniasque - Syrians and Britains This could refer to the great campaigns of Crassus and Caesar in Syria and Britain respectively. Thousands of young men would sign up for the army for the chance of riches, in the form of plunder and even slaves that could be kept or sold. The invasions were of Britain in 55 and 54 BC and the campaigns of Crassus were in Syria in 80 BC. The context of the poem is indicating that Septimius is giving up a great opportunity to be with Acme. Vocabulary Line 1 Acmen (Greek Acc. of Acme) - prime; fower; zenith Line 2 gremium, -ii, n. - lap; bosom Line 3 ni=nīsi - unless; if not perdīte (adv.) - desperately; excessively porrō (adv.) - further; onwards Line 4 assidue (adv.) - continually; constantly Line 6 tostus (p.p.p. of torreo) - parch; roast; bake; scorch; burn Line 7 caesius, -a, -um - green-eyed obvius, -a, -um - to meet with; come into contact with Line 9 sternuo, -ere, ui - to sneeze approbatio, -onis, f. - approval Line 10 leviter - lightly; slightly; a little reflectō, -xi, -xum - to bend; turn back Line 11 ebrius, -a, -um - intoxicated; drunk ocellus, -i, m. (dim.) - a little eye Line 12 purpureus, -a, -um, - purple; rosy os, oris, n. - mouth suavior, -ari, -atus sum - to kiss Line 13 usque - continuously; constantly Line 14 servio, -ire, -ii, -itum - to be a servant/slave to Line 15 acer, acris, acre - fierce; keen Line 16 mollīs, -is, -e - soft; tender; mild medulla, -ae, f. - marrow (of bones) Line 19 auspicium, -i, n. - omen; sign; divination of birds; appearance of an animal's entrails proficiscor - set out Line 20 mutuus, -a, -um reciprocal; mutual Line 21 misellus (dim. of miser) - love-sick little... Line 24 libido, libidinis, f. - pleasure; desire; passion; longing Line 26 auspicātus, -a, -um - favourable