By
chance I saw this poem by Catull on the Facebook Learning Latin site. I posted
a poem by Catull, in which he laments the unfaithfulness of his mistress
Lesbia. Some more post followed by other men with unflattering quotes about women.
A female member took her revenge and placed this poem. I must admit that I have
never read this poem before, or maybe I did and forgot about it: too much
stench coming out of it….
Catull
addresses a serious problem: a certain Rufus tries to lure girls into his bed,
but without success. Catull knows why this happens all the time and gives some
good advice.
Noli
admirari, quare tibi femina nulla,
Rufe,
uelit tenerum supposuisse femur,
non
si illam rarae labefactes munere uestis
aut
perluciduli deliciis lapidis.
laedit
te quaedam mala fabula, qua tibi fertur
ualle
sub alarum trux habitare caper.
hunc
metuunt omnes, neque mirum: nam mala ualde est
bestia,
nec quicum bella puella cubet.
quare
aut crudelem nasorum interfice pestem,
aut
admirari desine cur fugiunt.
Noli admirari:
a negative command is constructed with noli
+ infinitive. admirari is of course
not `to admire’ in this context, but `to wonder, be surprised’.
supposuisse
= supponere to put under,
femur
–oris (n): the thigh
rarae vestis:
thin clothing was of course expensive
labefacto -avi –atum:
to cause to totter, shake. Here: to corrupt
munus muneris:
here; gift
perlucidulus:
very bright, transparent
laedo –si –sum:
to hurt, damage
fabula, qua tibi fertur:
a rumour according to which
vallis –is:
valley
ala:
armpit
trux trucis:
fierce
caper capri
(m): he-goat
mala bestia:
for everyone who has never been in the neighbourhood of a he-goat: it spreads a
certain smell….
valde:
very
quicum
= cum qua (quicum is an archaic form)
cubo cubui cubitum cubare:
to lie down, sleep
nasorum:
gen. obj.
interficio –feci –factum:
to kill
desino desii desitum
desinere: to stop, cease
Be
not surprised, Rufus, that no woman
will
put her soft thighs under you,
not
even when you corrupt her by a gift of fine clothing
or
by the delights of a very bright stone.
Some
evil rumour is hurting you, according to which
under
the valley of your armpits a fierce he-goat is living.
Everyone
fears him, no wonder: as it is a very bad
beast,
and no pretty girl will sleep with that.
Therefore:
either kill that cruel stench for noses,
or
stop being surprised, why they run away.
Rufus
before using deodorant……
Rufus
after using deodorant!
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