Gaius Valerius Catullus
84-54 BCE (over 2,000 years ago)
Trans RMBullard
Latin (Golden Age)
Cenabis bene, mi Fabulle, apud me/paucis, si tibi di favent, diebus/si tecum attuleris bonam atque magnam/cenam, non sine candida puella/et vino et sale et omnibus cachinnis.
(You will dine well, my Fabullus, with me for some days, if the gods favor you, if you bring with you a fine and dandy dinner, and not without your radiant girl and your wine and salt and all your laughter;)
haec si, inquam, attuleris, venuste noster/cenabis bene;
(If you bring these things, I assure you, my charming friend, you will dine well;)
nam tui Catulli/plenus sacculus est aranearum.
(for your Catullus’ wallet is full of cobwebs;)
sed contra accipies meros amores/seu quid suavius elegantiusve est:
(but instead you’ll receive undiluted love, something sweeter and more elegant:)
nam unguentum dabo, quod meae puellae/donarunt Veneres Cupidinesque/quod tu cum olfacies, deos rogabis/totum ut te faciant, Fabulle, nasum.
(for I shall give you some perfume, which my lady, Venuses and Cupids gave me, something which, when you smell it, you will beseech the gods to make yourself, Fabullus, an entire nose.)
