Catullus

Catullus’ poem of joyful homecoming to his beloved Sirmio is discussed, translated, and read in Latin by Alexandra Stagliano. Catullus, she argues, takes something personal and easy to relate to, and makes it seem grand and epic with mythological imagery, wordplay, and elegant repetition.

Paene īnsulārum, Sirmiō, insulārumque

ocelle, quāscumque in liquentibus stāgnīs

marīque vāstō fert uterque Neptūnus,

quam tē libenter quamque laetus invīsō,

vix mī ipse crēdēns Thyniam atque Bithynōs

liquisse campōs et vidēre tē in tūtō.

Ō quid solūtīs est beātius cūrīs,

cum mēns onus repōnit, ac perēgrīnō

labōre fessī vēnimus larem ad nostrum,

dēsīderātōque acquiēscimus lectō?