Catullus 1 is traditionally arranged first among the poems of the Roman poet Catullus, though it was not necessarily the first poem that he wrote. Hendecasyllabic.
11044Catullus 1Catullus
Literal English Translation
Original Latin
Line
To whom do I give this elegant new booklet,
polished just now with dry pumice?
To you, Cornelius! Since you always
thought my doggerel was worth something,
even when you alone among Italians dared
disentangle all time, in three monographs,
scholarly by Jove and intense.
So keep for yourself this little book of some sort.
May it last, O generous goddess!,
more than one long age.
cui dōnō lepidum novum libellum
āridā modo pūmice expolītum?
Cornēlī, tibi! namque tū solēbās
meās esse aliquid putāre nūgās,
iam tum cum ausus es ūnus Ītalōrum
omne aevum tribus explicāre cartīs,
doctīs Iuppiter et labōriōsīs.
quārē habē tibi quidquid hoc libellī
quālecumque; quod, ō patrōna virgō,
plūs ūnō maneat perenne saeclō.
