Page:The poems of Gaius Valerius Catullus - Francis Warre Cornish.djvu/65



He seems to me to be equal to a god, he, if it may be, seems to surpass the very gods, who sitting opposite thee again and again gazes at thee and hears thee sweetly laughing. Such a thing takes away my senses, alas! for whenever I see thee, Lesbia, at once no voice at all remains within my mouth, but my tongue falters, a subtle flame steals secretly through my limbs, my ears tingle with inward humming, my eyes are quenched in twofold night.

Idleness, Catullus, does you harm, you riot in your idleness and wanton too much. Idleness ere now has ruined both kings and wealthy cities.

What is it, Catullus? why do you not make haste to die? That wen Nonius sits in the curule chair; Vatinius forswears himself by his consulship. What is it, Catullus? why do you not make haste to die?

A fellow in the crowd made me laugh just now: when my dear Calvus had drawn out in splendid style his accusations against Vatinius, he lifted up his hands in wonder and 'Great gods (says he), what an eloquent manikin!'