Catullus, Poem 51

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M = reading of the whole MS tradition
m = reading of part of the MS tradition
P = reading on a papyrus
 

Ille mi par mi par m: impar m esse deo uidetur,
ille, si fas est, superare diuos,
qui sedens aduersus identidem te
     spectat et audit

dulce ridentem, misero quod omnis5
eripit sensus mihi: nam simul te,
Lesbia, aspexi, nihil est super mi
     ... lac. M: <uocis in ore> Ritter: <postmodo uocis> Della Corte: <quod tibi dicam> Cassata: <fundere uocem> Butterfield

lingua sed torpet, tenuis sub artus
flamma flamma m: flamina m demanat, sonitu suopte10
tintinant aures, gemina aures gemina M: aures geminae Schrader teguntur
     lumina lumina m: limina m nocte.

otium, Catulle catulle m: catuli m: catulli m, tibi molestum est;
otio exsultas nimiumque gestis;
otium et reges prius et beatas15
     perdidit urbes. otium…urbes om. Achilles Statius, 1566

He seems to me to be equal to a god,
he, if it is allowed, seems to better the gods,
who sitting opposite you over and over again
     Look at you and hear you

Sweetly laughing. In my sorry state that
snatches away all my senses: for the moment I saw
you, Lesbia, nothing is enough for me
     …

But the tongue grows numb, under my limbs
Seeps a thin flame, with their own sound
my ears ring, both my eyes
     are covered by night.

Free time is your trouble, Catullus:
In free time you exult and take too much pleasure:
Free time in the past has brought kings and
     prosperous cities to ruin.

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