Catullus 44 Translation
Introduction
In this poem, Catullus addresses the social groups in Italy and how they don’t necessarily follow the social rules. He argues that poetry and reading is more important than knowing to what group you belong.
In the first six lines, he addresses the people who live in Sabine or Tiburtine. These are both regions of Italy. The Sabines lived in a frugal peasant life in the Apennine Mountains while the Tiburtines also lived in the Sabine region, but near Tivoli. Tiburtine was a place that city people went for a summer vacation, and the location was visible from the city itself. In a side note, Catullus knows that they are generally the same people and “will wager anything” in line four that he is correct. In line six, he is appreciative of the retreat in the place between country and town. He was able to overcome a chest cold that he developed “running after costly feasts.” In these first six lines, he is mocking the city folk who claim to be better than the peasants but enjoy the same places.
In line 10, Catullus shares that he wanted to have dinner with Sestius, but it does not look like he actually did. Instead, in line 11 and 12, he read Sestius’s speech that was full of poison and plague. Interestingly, it looks like the speech gave him the chest cold.
To deal with the problem, Catullus went to the farm and partook in nettle tea and relaxation. In line 16 and 17, Catullus appears to have gotten better and thanks to the people of the area because they did not treat him poorly. So, in lines 18-21, he shares that if he ever reads terrible writings from Sestius, he hopes the sickness goes to Sestius and not to Catullus, who was punished for reading “a stupid book.”
This poem is oozing with sarcastic mockery, not only for the citizens of Rome, but for Sestius, too. Catullus finds the writings of Sestius to be enough to make a man sick, literally. This is a pure hyperbolic mockery.
Carmen 44
| Line | Latin text | English translation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | O FVNDE noster seu Sabine seu Tiburs | My farm, whether Sabine or Tiburtine |
| 2 | (nam te esse Tiburtem autumant, quibus non est | (for those affirm that you are Tiburtine, who do not love |
| 3 | cordi Catullum laedere; at quibus cordi est, | to annoy Catullus, but those who do |
| 4 | quouis Sabinum pignore esse contendunt), | will wager anything that you are Sabine)— |
| 5 | sed seu Sabine siue uerius Tiburs, | but at all events, whether you are Sabine or more rightly Tiburtine, |
| 6 | fui libenter in tua suburbana | I was glad to be in your retreat, ‘twixt country and town, |
| 7 | uilla, malamque pectore expuli tussim, | and to clear my chest of the troublesome cough, |
| 8 | non inmerenti quam mihi meus uenter, | which, my greediness gave me (not undeservedly) |
| 9 | dum sumptuosas appeto, dedit, cenas. | whilst I was running after costly feasts. |
| 10 | nam, Sestianus dum uolo esse conuiua, | I wanted to go to dinner with Sestius, |
| 11 | orationem in Antium petitorem | and so I read a speech of his against the candidate Antius, |
| 12 | plenam ueneni et pestilentiae legi. | full of poison and plague. |
| 13 | hic me grauedo frigida et frequens tussis | Thereuon a shivering chill and a constant cough |
| 14 | quassauit usque, dum in tuum sinum fugi, | shook me to pieces, till at last I fled to your bosom, |
| 15 | et me recuraui otioque et urtica. | and set myself right again by a diet of laziness and nettle. |
| 16 | quare refectus maximas tibi grates | So now, having recovered, I return you my best thanks |
| 17 | ago, meum quod non es ulta peccatum. | because you did not punish my error. |
| 18 | nec deprecor iam, si nefaria scripta | And henceforth, if I ever again take in hand the abominable writings |
| 19 | Sesti recepso, quin grauedinem et tussim | of Sestius, I freely consent that the chill shall bring catarrh and cough, |
| 20 | non mihi, sed ipsi Sestio ferat frigus, | not upon me, but upon Sestius himself, |
| 21 | qui tunc uocat me, cum malum librum legi. | for inviting me just when I have read a stupid book. |
