Sherry Chandler

Catullus 13-promises, promises

Cenabis bene, mi Fabulle, apud me
paucis, si tibe di favent, diebus,
si tecum attuleris bonam atque magnam
cenam, non sine candida puella
et vino et sale et omnibus cachinnis.
haec si, inquam, attuleris, venuste noster,
cenabis bene; nam tui Catulli
plenus sacculus est aranearum.
sed contra accipies meros amores
seu quid suavius elegantiusve est;
nam unguentum dabo, quod meae puellae
donarunt Veneres Cupidinesque
quod tu cum olfacies, deos rogabis,
totum ut te faciant, Fabulle, nasum.

You shall dine with me, Fabullus, in a few
–if gods smile on you–days,
if you should happen to bring with you
dinner–good and plentiful food,
a radiant serving wench, wine and wit
and all things amusing, so shall it be
dear friend–bring only these: dine well.
’cause the purse of your Catullus is full of
spiders’ spend. In return you shall receive
Love’s true essence, than which nothing
is more pleasing or elegant. I shall give
you some of that scent, which the Venuses and Cupids
gave my girl. One whiff: you’ll
beg the gods to memorphose–
to make you wholly nose–
and nothing else, Fabullus.

Participants in today’s Freedom Strut n’ Fret will allegedly be given replicant dog tags, but only the pre-registered are welcome. The Press may only stand in designated areas, not march with the Elect. No word if the gummint’s pet country superstar plans to metamorphose into any appropriate body part while performing his hit tune Iraq ‘N Roll at the concert.

1. Catullus 74– Mr. Grundy
2. Catullus 2 & 2b–Cat’s Sparrow
3. Catullus 43-a Pretty Picture
4. Catullus 41–C*nni indelicias
5. Catullus 85

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