§12.1natali, Corvine, die mihi dulcior haec lux,, §12.2qua festus promissa deis animalia caespes §12.3expectat, niveam reginae ducimus agnam, §12.4par vellus dabitur pugnanti Gorgone Maura; §12.5sed procul extensum petulans quatit hostia funem §12.6Tarpeio servata Iovi frontemque coruscat, §12.7quippe ferox vitulus templis maturus et arae §12.8spargendusque mero, quem iam pudet ubera matris §12.9ducere, qui vexat nascenti robora cornu,
This light, Corvinus, is sweeter to me than my own birthday, on which the festive turf expects the animals promised to the gods; we are leading a snow-white lamb to the Queen, and an equal fleece will be given to the goddess who fights with the Moorish Gorgon; but far away the fierce victim, kept for Tarpeian Jupiter, shakes his long stretched rope and tosses his forehead; for he is a fierce calf, mature for the temples and the altar, and to be sprinkled with pure wine, who is already ashamed to draw his mother's udders, and vexes the oaks with his budding horn.
§12.10si res ampla domi similisque adfectibus esset, §12.11pinguior Hispulla traheretur taurus et ipsa §12.12mole piger nec finitima nutritus in herba, §12.13laeta sed ostendens Clitumni pascua sanguis §12.14iret et a grandi cervix ferienda ministro §12.15ob reditum trepidantis adhuc horrendaque passi §12.16nuper et incolumem sese mirantis amici.
If my resources at home were ample and equal to my affection, a bull fatter than Hispulla would be led, lazy from his very bulk, not reared on neighboring grass, but his blood showing the rich pastures of Clitumnus he would go, and his neck to be struck by a grand minister, on account of the return of my friend, who is still trembling, and who recently suffered dreadful things, and wonders that he is safe.
§12.17Nam praeter pelagi casus et fulminis ictus §12.18evasit: densae caelum abscondere tenebrae §12.19nube una subitusque antemnas inpulit ignis, §12.20cum se quisque illo percussum crederet et mox §12.21attonitus nullum conferri posse putaret §12.22naufragium velis ardentibus, omnia fiunt
For besides the perils of the sea, he escaped the strokes of lightning: thick darkness hid the sky in a single cloud, and a sudden fire struck the yards, when everyone believed himself struck by it, and soon, astonished, thought that no shipwreck could be compared with burning sails.
§12.23talia, tam graviter, si quando poetica surgit §12.24tempestas, genus ecce aliud discriminis audi §12.25et miserere iterum, quamquam sint cetera sortis §12.26eiusdem pars dira quidem, sed cognita multis §12.27et quam votiva testantur fana tabella §12.28plurima; pictores quis nescit ab Iside pasci?
All such things happen, and so gravely, whenever a poetical storm arises. Lo, hear another kind of danger, and pity him again, although the rest is indeed a dire part of the same fate, but known to many, and which very many temples witness with a votive tablet; who does not know that painters are fed by Isis?
§12.29Accidit et nostro similis fortuna Catullo.
A similar fortune happened also to our Catullus.
§12.30cum plenus fluctu medius foret alveus et iam, §12.31alternum puppis latus evertentibus undis, §12.32arbori incertae, nullam prudentia cani §12.33rectoris cum ferret opem, decidere iactu §12.34coepit cum ventis, imitatus castora, qui se §12.35eunuchum ipse facit cupiens evadere damno §12.36testiculi; adeo medicatum intellegit inguen.
When the middle of the hold was full of water, and already the waves were overturning each side of the stern alternately, and the wisdom of the grey-haired pilot brought no help to the unsteady mast, he began to settle with the winds by throwing goods overboard, imitating the beaver, who makes himself a eunuch, wishing to escape by the loss of his testicles; so well does he understand that his groin is medicinal.
§12.37fundite quae mea sunt,
dicebat
cuncta
Catullus, §12.38praecipitare volens etiam pulcherrima, vestem §12.39purpuream teneris quoque Maecenatibus aptam, §12.40atque alias quarum generosi graminis ipsum §12.41infecit natura pecus, sed et egregius fons §12.42viribus occultis et Baeticus adiuvat aer.
"Cast out all that is mine," Catullus said, wishing to throw headlong even the most beautiful things: a purple garment fit also for tender Maecenases, and others whose sheep the nature of the noble grass itself has dyed, but also the excellent spring with its hidden forces and the Baetic air help.
§12.43ille nec argentum dubitabat mittere, lances §12.44Parthenio factas, urnae cratera capacem §12.45et dignum sitiente Pholo vel coniuge Fusci; §12.46adde et bascaudas et mille escaria, multum §12.47caelati, biberat quo callidus emptor Olynthi.
He did not hesitate to throw away even his silver: dishes made by Parthenius, a crater holding a whole urna and worthy of thirsty Pholus or the wife of Fuscus; add also baskets and a thousand plates, and much of carved work from which the crafty buyer of Olynthus had drunk.
§12.48sed quis nunc alius qua mundi parte, quis audet §12.49argento praeferre caput rebusque salutem?
But who else now, in what part of the world, who dares to prefer his life to silver and safety to his possessions?
§12.52Iactatur rerum utilium pars maxima, sed nec §12.53damna levant, tunc adversis urguentibus illuc §12.54reccidit ut malum ferro summitteret; ac se §12.55explicat angustum: discriminis ultima, quando §12.56praesidia adferimus navem factura minorem,
The greatest part of his useful goods is thrown overboard, but not even these losses relieve the ship; then, under the pressure of adversity, it came to this, that he should lower the mast with iron, and extricated himself from his narrow straits: it is the extremity of danger when we apply remedies that will make the ship smaller.
§12.57i nunc et ventis animam committe dolato §12.58confisus ligno, digitis a morte remotus §12.59quattuor aut septem, si sit latissima, taedae; §12.60mox cum reticulis et pane et ventre lagonae, §12.61aspice sumendas in tempestate secures.
Go now and commit your life to the winds, trusting to a hewn plank, removed from death by four fingers, or seven if the pine-board is at its thickest; soon, along with your nets of provisions, bread, and the belly of a flagon, look to the axes to be used in a tempest.
§12.62Sed postquam iacuit planum mare, tempora postquam §12.63prospera vectoris fatumque valentius Euro §12.64et pelago, postquam Parcae meliora benigna §12.65pensa manu ducunt hilares et staminis albi
But after the sea lay smooth, after times became prosperous for the passenger and his fate grew stronger than the East wind and the sea, after the cheerful Parcae with benign hand spun better tasks and of white thread...