Page:Catullus, Tibullus and Propertius.djvu/58

46 at rest a claim of various competitors, and realises the gist of the verse, though the metre is very hard to accustom one's self to. Without adopting Landor's emendations, we may quote his illustration of the concluding verses of this piece: "Catullus here calls on Sirmio to rejoice in his return, and invites the waves of the lake to laugh. Whoever has seen this beautiful expanse of water, under its bright sun and gentle breezes, will understand the poet's expression—he will have seen the winds dance and laugh." The critic, however, based an emendation of "Ludiæ" for "Lydiæ," "dancing" for "Lydian," on his bit of criticism. In another poem (C. xliv.) of a humorous character, we see the same kindlier side of the poet's nature, in his affection for his Sabine and Tiburtine farm. The locale of this was one appreciated by Horace, and a retreat which Catullus must have thought himself lucky in having at command. He playfully hints that his friends will best please him if they dub it Tiburtine, though there was no doubt that its precise site, the banks of the Anio, made it an open question to which district it should be tacked; and he pays it a tribute of gratitude for enabling him to shake off a pestilential catarrh, which appears to have had its beginning in that seat of all evils, the stomach. A desire of epicurean experiences and of a dinner with a certain Sestius, who united the reputation of a brilliant host with that of a dull orator, had led the evil genius of Catullus to a banquet, where he was bored to death by the recital of his entertainer's oration against one Caius Antius; and this proved a penance so grievous that the poet