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Catullus 3

Lesbia’s sparrow, which she loved very much, has died. He had been devoted to her, but now must go the the underworld where all beautiful things are consumed by darkness.

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Lugete, o Veneres Cupidinesque,
et quantum est hominum venustiorum:
passer mortuus est meae puellae,
passer, deliciae meae puellae,
quem plus illa oculis suis amabat....................................5
nam mellitus erat suamque norat
ipsam tam bene quam puella matrem,
nec sese a gremio illius movebat,
sed circumsiliens modo huc modo illuc
ad solam dominam usque pipiabat;...............................10
qui nunc it per iter tenebricosum
illud, unde negant redire quemquam.
at vobis male sit, malae tenebrae
Orci, quae omnia bella devoratis:
tam bellum mihi passerem abstulistis..............................15
o factum male! o miselle passer!
tua nunc opera meae puellae
flendo turgiduli rubent ocelli.

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Meter: hendecasyllabics.
1. Veneres Cupidinesque: the sense is "lover-girls and boys".
2. quantum...venustiorum: "as much as there is of more fashionable people."
5. oculis suis: Ablative of Comparison with plus.
6. norat: syncopated form of noverat.
7. ipsam: (in this context) "mistress".
12. negant: subject is either the impersonal "they" or is to be assumed from malae tenebrae in next line.
13. at...sit: Optative Subjunctive, "but may it be".
16. o factum male: "o, evilly done".
17. tua opera: Ablative; "through your effort", "thanks to you".
18. turgiduli ocelli: subject of rubent.
 
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last updated October 17, 2003
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