HKB
LXXXVII & LXXV.
Ne'er shall woman avouch herself so rightly beloved, Friend, as rightly thou art, Lesbia, lovely to me. Ne'er was a bond so firm, no troth so faithfully plighted, Such as against our love's venture in honour am I.
Now so sadly my heart, dear Lesbia, draws me asunder, 5 So in her own misspent worship uneasily lost, Wert thou blameless in all, I may not longer approve thee, Do anything thou wilt, cannot an enemy be.
LXXVI.
If to a man bring joy past service dearly remember'd, When to the soul her thought speaks, to be blameless of ill; Faith not rudely profan'd, nor in oath or charter abused Heaven, a God's mis-sworn sanctity, deadly to men. Then doth a life-long pleasure await thee surely, Catullus, 5 Pleasure of all this love's traitorous injury born.
Whatso a man may speak, whom charity leads to another, Whatso enact, by me spoken or acted is all. Waste on a traitorous heart, nor finding kindly requital. Therefore cease, nor still bleed agoniz'd any more. 10
Make thee as iron a soul, thyself draw back from affliction. Yea, tho' a God say nay, be not unhappy for aye. What? it is hard long love so lightly to leave in a moment? Hard; yet abides this one duty, to do it: obey. Here lies safety alone, one victory must not fail thee. 15 One last stake to be lost haply, perhaps to be won.
O great Gods immortal, if you can pity or ever Lighted above dark death's shadow, a help to the lost; Ah! look, a wretch, on me; if white and blameless in all I Liv'd, then take this long canker of anguish away. 20 If to my inmost veins, like dull death drowsily creeping, Every delight, all heart's pleasure it wholly benumbs.
Not anymore I pray for a love so faulty returning, Not that a wanton abide chastely, she may not again. Only for health I ask, a disease so deadly to banish. 25 Gods vouchsafe it, as I ask, that am harmless of ill.
LXXVII.
Rufus, a friend so vainly believ'd, so wrongly relied in, (Vainly? alas the reward fail'd not, a heavier ill;) Could'st thou thus steal on me, a lurking viper, an aching Fire to the bones, nor leave aught to delight any more? Nought to delight any more! ah cruel poison of equal 5 Lives! ah breasts that grew each to the other awhile! Yet far most this grieves me, to think thy slaver abhorred Foully my own love's lips soileth, a purity rare. Thou shalt surely atone thine injury: centuries harken, Know thee afar; grow old, fame, to declare him anew. 10
LXXXVIII.
Gellius, how if a man in lust with a mother, a sister Rioteth, one uncheck'd night, to iniquity bare? How if a man's dark passion an aunt's own chastity spare not? Canst thou tell what vast infamy lieth on him?
Infamy lieth on him, no farthest Tethys, or ancient 5 Ocean, of hundred streams father, abolisheth yet. Infamy none o'ersteps, nor ventures any beyond it. Not tho' a scorpion heat melt him, his own paramour.
LXXXIX.
Gellius--he's full meagre. It is no wonder, a friendly Mother, a sister is his loveable, healthy withal. Then so friendly an uncle, a world of pretty relations. Must not a man so blest meagre abide to the last? Yea, let his hand touch only what hands touch only to trespass; 5 Reason enough to become meagre, enough to remain.
XC.
Rise from a mother's shame with Gellius hatefully wedded, One to be taught gross rites Persic, a Magian he. Weds with a mother a son, so needs should a Magian issue, Save in her evil creed Persia determineth ill. Then shall a son, so born, chant down high favour of heaven, 5 Melting lapt in flame fatly the slippery caul.
XCI.