Page:The poems of Gaius Valerius Catullus - Francis Warre Cornish.djvu/161



If anything ever happened to any one who eagerly longed and never hoped, that is a true pleasure to the mind. And so to me too this is a pleasure more precious than gold, that you, Lesbia, restore yourself to me who longed for you, restore to me who longed, but never hoped, yes, you yourself give yourself back to me. O happy day, blessed with the whiter mark! What living wight is more lucky than I; or who can say that any fortune in life is more desirable than this?

If, Cominius, your gray old age, soiled as it is by an impure life, should be brought to an end by the choice of the people, I for my part do not doubt that first of all your tongue, the enemy of good citizens, would be cut out and quickly given to the greedy vulture, your eyes torn out and swallowed down the raven's black throat, while the dogs would devour your bowels, the rest of your members the wolves.

You promise to me, my life, that this love of ours shall be pleasant and last for ever between us. Ye- great gods, grant that she may be able to keep this promise truly, and that she may say it sincerely and from her heart, so that we may be allowed to extend through all our life this eternal compact of hallowed friendship.

c. 19