No beauteous sister was to thee, Or mother, for thou would'st have spurned That was enough, so dear each way And villany of every kind. CARMEN XCII.-ON LESBIA. Fair Lesbia heaps her abuse upon me, Does not in her innermost heart care about me! CARMEN XCIII.-ON CÆSAR. Cæsar, I take no kind of care To aim at pleasing you; I know not whether you be fair, Or whether dark in hue. CARMEN XCV.-ON THE SMYRNA OF CINNA THE POET. My Cinna's Smyrna was begun, Nine summers ere the work was done, The work before the world did lie, Where Atrax' distant waters flow CARMEN XCVI.-TO CALVUS ON QUINCTILIA. Calvus, if from out our grief, To the dark and silent tomb, Aught can come to give relief, Lightening its sepulchral gloom, From old love's renewed desires, From extinguished friendship's fires, All the loss which woe inspires Perished in the course of doom, The love Quinctilia had for thee, 'Gainst these the fate as nought would be Which snatched her hence in early bloom. CARMEN XCVIII.-TO VETTIUS. Vettius, it might be said of you, At nothing would you ever stick, Your tongue e'en cowherds' shoes would lick Or even things more foul than these, So if your mind it now should please, Open your mouth, the thing is done. CARMEN XCIX.-TO JUVENTIUS. A kiss in sport I once did snatch, Juventius, my pet, from thee, Nor could ambrosia's sweetness match That blissful moment's ecstasy; But I did not unpunished go, For on a rack most grievous pain, Thou mad'st me bear, while I did show Ah! well do I remember, ne'er For ever to a fatal passion, L If thou such punishment dost give, No more sweet kisses while I live Shall e'er again be snatched by me. CARMEN C.-ON CÆLIUS AND QUINTIUS. For Aufilena Quintius burns, To Aufilenus Cælius turns, Such is the passion each doth own, The glory of Verona's town; For one claims friendship from the brother, The sister's charms attract the other. This one may call a tender tie, A union most brotherly. Whom do I wish most blest to be? Cælius I needs must favour thee, Thy warmth of friendship gives this right, Proved when I burned with passion's might, Be happy, Cælius, my friend, Success upon thy love attend. |