Translation test 12/10

Translate Cat 1

Translate Cat 3.1-5

Translate Cat 7

Translate Cat 10.1-55. Take the point of view of 'The Napkin Thief'!Write a poem (in English) in response to Catullus. You must use three of the same literary devices and the poem you right must be the same length as Catullus'.



Cat.1

What gift of a charming new little book

made smooth by the pumice stone?

Cornelius, you: you and not alone

recieve my praise which you think

when you pour over you maps of Italy

and explore all the tribes which

you teach, Jupiter, and labor!

How do I have such a little book of whatever sort

which, o patron of the twins,

for one man's sacred work.



cat 3 1-5

Lament, Venus and Cupid,

and as much as human divine,

my girl's sparrow is dead,

the sparrow, the desire of my girl,

which she loved more than her own eyes--



Cat 7

Ask me how many of your kisses

Lesbia, are above enough.

Their great number is like the Libyian sand

filled with silphium between

the oracle of Cyrenis and the sacred tomb of Batti;

however when the many stars, when shining at night,

alone the people see their love:

so your kiss which is many kisses

offers enough and is above for Catullus,

which neither able to be curious for the number

nor makes evil language.



Cat 10 1-5

Varus my man of leisure sighted me in the forum and

wished to show me his new love:

a chippy bimbo ( so much that I repeated my look)

neither ungraceful nor unlovely;

this so that we came, the noble incident...



A Resopnse to The Napkin Theif

O Catullus, you silly man!

How can you attack me

when you are not so perfect

yourself? Oh how you embarrass yourself!

The erotic poet, how can you point fingers?

I can hear the papyrus weeping as you record

your filth onto its surface.

If you must know about my love

of the napkin, it is because

they bring me great joy.

There is nothing more fufilling

than spending a night

folding napkins or creating a pile

and hurling myself into them.

And upon my descent

into the vast unknown

I will hope to buried among my passion.

So leave me alone Catullus or

you may find yourself napkinless.