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Catullus 46
Spring: time to travel
Catullus, Carmina: selections. Latin text with a sentence-by-sentence English translation, notes and vocabulary.
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Read in LectitōCat. 46.1Iam vēr ēgelidōs refert tepōrēs,
iam caelī furor aequinoctiālis
iūcundīs Zephyrī silēscit aurīs.
Now spring brings back mild warmth, now the fury of the equinoctial sky falls silent under the pleasant breezes of the West Wind.
Note. Spring in Bithynia: Catullus is about to leave his post and travel home. ēgelidōs … tepōrēs: 'warmth with the chill gone'. aequinoctiālis: the storms of the spring equinox. Zephyrī: the West Wind, the wind of spring.
Cat. 46.4Linquantur Phrygiī, Catulle, campī
5Nīcaeaeque ager ūber aestuōsae:
ad clārās Asiae volēmus urbēs.
Let the Phrygian plains be left behind, Catullus, and the rich farmland of sweltering Nicaea: let us fly to the famous cities of Asia.
Note. Linquantur: jussive subjunctive, 'let the plains be left'. Nīcaeae: Nicaea, in Bithynia. volēmus: from volō, -āre, 'fly' (not volō, velle). Asiae: the province of Asia, with famous Greek cities like Ephesus.
Cat. 46.7Iam mēns praetrepidāns avet vagārī,
iam laetī studiō pedēs vigēscunt.
Now my mind, all aquiver, longs to wander, now my feet grow eager and strong.
Note. praetrepidāns: 'trembling with anticipation', a word Catullus seems to have made. avet vagārī: 'longs to wander'. vigēscunt: 'grow strong', an inceptive verb.
Cat. 46.9Ō dulcēs comitum valēte coetūs,
10longē quōs simul ā domō profectōs
dīversae variae viae reportant.
Farewell, sweet band of companions, who set out together far from home and whom different, varied roads bring back.
Note. coetūs: vocative plural, 'bands, companies'. diversae variae viae: 'different and varied roads', the sound repeating as the friends scatter.
Vocabulary
| iam, adv. | now, already |
| vēr, vēris n. | spring |
| ēgelidus, -a, -um | with the chill gone, mild, warm |
| referō, referre, rettulī, relātus | bring or carry back, return; pedem referre, to draw back, retire, retreat; grātiam referre, see grātia |
| tepor, -ōris m. | warmth, gentle heat |
| caelum, -ī, n. | heaven, sky |
| furor, -ōris, m. | rage, fury, frenzy, madness |
| aequinoctiālis, -e | of the equinox, equinoctial |
| iūcundus, -a, -um | sweet, pleasant |
| silēscō, -ere | fall silent, grow still |
| aura, -ae, f. | air, breeze |
| linquō, -ere, līquī | leave |
| Phrygius, -a, -um | Phrygian, of Phrygia in central Asia Minor |
| campus, -ī, m. | plain, field |
| que, enclitic conj. | and |
| ager, agri, m. | field, land |
| ūber, -eris n. | teat, breast |
| aestuōsus, -a, -um | hot, sweltering; surging, billowy |
| ad, prep. with acc. | to, toward; at, near; for |
| clārus, -a, -um | clear, loud; famous |
| volō, -āre, -āvī, -ātūrus | fly |
| urbs, urbis, f. | city |
| mēns, mentis f. | mind, spirit |
| praetrepidō, -āre | tremble in anticipation, be all aquiver |
| aveō, -ēre | be well; imperative avē: hail! greetings! |
| vagor, -ārī, -ātus sum | wander, roam |
| laetus, -a, -um | glad, joyful |
| studium, -ī, n. | eagerness, zeal; study, pursuit |
| pēs, pedis, m. | foot |
| vigēscō, -ere | become lively, grow strong |
| ō (interj.) | O! oh! |
| dulcis, -e | sweet |
| comes, -itis, m. and f. | companion |
| valeō, -ēre, -uī, -itūrus | be strong or effectual, have effect, prevail |
| coetus, -ūs m. | meeting, gathering, assembly |
| longē, adv. | far |
| quī, quae, quod, rel. pron. | who, which |
| simul, adv. | at the same time; simul atque or ac, as soon as |
| ā, ab (prep. + abl.) | away from, from; by (ā only before consonants) |
| domus, -ūs, f. | house, home |
| proficīscor, -ficīscī, -fectus sum | set out, depart, march |
| dīversus, -a, -um | turned different ways, opposite, contrary, different |
| varius, -a, -um | various |
| via, -ae, f. | road, way |
| reportō, -portāre, -portāvī, -portātus | carry or bring back |