# The Poetry of Gaius Valerius Catullus/8
## Text & Translation

Meter - Limping Iambics
| Line | Latin Text | English Translation |
| 1 | Miser Catulle, desinas ineptire, | Miserable Catullus, cease to be a fool, |
| 2 | et quod vides perisse perditum ducas. | and that which you see to have been lost, may you consider lost. |
| 3 | Fulsere quondam candidi tibi soles, | Bright suns once shone for you, |
| 4 | cum ventitabas quo puella ducebat | when you often came to where the girl led you, |
| 5 | amata nobis quantum amabitur nulla. | a girl loved by us more than any girl will be loved. |
| 6 | Ibi illa multa cum iocosa fiebant, | where there those many jokes used to happen, |
| 7 | quae tu volebas nec puella nolebat, | which you wanted, and she did not deny, |
| 8 | fulsere vere candidi tibi soles. | truly bright suns shone for you. |
| 9 | Nunc iam illa non vult: tu quoque impotens noli, | now she does not want; you also, powerless, do not want, |
| 10 | nec quae fugit sectare, nec miser vive, | neither follow she who flees, nor live miserably, |
| 11 | sed obstinata mente perfer, obdura. | but remain firm with a resolute mind, endure. |
| 12 | Vale puella, iam Catullus obdurat, | Goodbye girl, already Catullus endures, |
| 13 | nec te requiret nec rogabit invitam. | he will neither miss you, nor will he ask for you, unwilling. |
| 14 | At tu dolebis, cum rogaberis nulla. | but you will grieve, when you will not be asked for at all. |
| 15 | Scelesta, vae te, quae tibi manet vita? | wicked one, woe to you! what life remains for you? |
| 16 | Quis nunc te adibit? cui videberis bella? | who will come to you now? To whom will you seem beautiful? |
| 17 | Quem nunc amabis? Cuius esse diceris? | whom will you love now? Whose will you be said to be? |
| 18 | Quem basiabis? Cui labella mordebis? | whom will you kiss? Whose lips will you bite? |
| 19 | At tu, Catulle, destinatus obdura. | But you, Catullus, obstinate, endure. |

## Connotations of The Text

The use of the metre, limping iambic, has a broken uneven effect, mimicking the dead end of his thoughts.

### Line 1

* miser - miserable; wretched; unhappy
This is a favourite word of Catullus' usually used to describe himself. It can also be translated as "love-sick" and this translation creates a nearer tone that Catullus intended in the poem. This expression can also be seen in Poem 7.

### Line 4

* ventitabas - you used to go
The use of the Imperfect Tense shows how Catullus used to go everywhere Lesbia went - making him like Lesbia's shadow.
* ducebat - where she used to lead
The use of the Imperfect Tense indicates how Lesbia used to be in control of Catullus and she led him around as she pleased.

### Line 9

* nunc iam - now it has come to this
This phrases emphasises the finality of the relationship and how it has ended once and for all.

### Line 14

* rogaberis nulla - you will be asked [out] by none
Here the poet is trying to convince himself that Lesbia will lose out the most in the end. Nulla here is acting more as an adverb "not"

### Line 19

* obdura - endure
The end of the poem finishes with a blunt imperative. This is Catullus trying to snap himself out of his misery.

## Vocabulary
### Line 1

* miser - miserable; wretched; unhappy; love-sick
* desino, ere, -sii, -itum - leave off; cease; desist; abandon
* ineptio, ineptire - play the fool

### Line 2

* perdo, -ere, -didi, -ditum - destroy; ruin; lose

### Line 3

* fulgeo, -ere, fulsi - shine; gleam; glitter; sparkle
* candidus, -a, -um - white; fair; beautiful
* soles (pl. of sol) - lit. = suns; rays; beams

### Line 4

* ventito, ventitare - come often; keep coming

### Line 6

* ibi (adv.) - there; in that place; then; thereupon
* fio, fieri, factus sum - to happen; be done; become
* iocosus, -a, -um - humorous; jokey; light-hearted

### Line 9

* impotens, -entis (adj.) - weak; feeble; puny

### Line 10

* sector, sectari, sectatus sum - follow; pursue

### Line 11

* obstinatus, -a, -um - resolved; resolute; fixed; obstinate
* perfero, -re, pertuli, perlatum - carry through; endure

### Line 13

* invitus, -a, -um - unwilling; reluctant

### Line 14

* doleo, -ere, dolui, dolitum - feel pain; suffer; grieve

### Line 15

* vae - woe to; alas

### Line 18

* labellum, -i, n. (dim.) - little lip
* mordeo, momordi, morsum - bite

### Line 19

* destino, -are, -avi, -atum - fasten down; secure; determine; fix

## External Links

Catullus 8 A Translation of Catullus 8
Catullus 8 Another Translation of Catullus 8