Катуллдың «Жаңа кішкентай кітабы» туралы өлеңі

Latin poem by Catullus
Catullus 1 is traditionally arranged first among the poems of the Roman poet Catullus, though it was not necessarily the first poem that he wrote. It is dedicated to Cornelius Nepos, a historian and minor poet, though some consider Catullus's praise of Cornelius's history of the Italians to have been sarcastic. The poem alternates between humility and a self confident manner; Catullus calls his poetry "little" and "trifles", but asks that it remain for more than one age. This understatement is likely deliberate; Catullus knows very well the quality of his poetry, and also the provocative form it has. He also calls his work "new"; the poems are recently made and therefore new, but they are also new as some of the first examples of Neoteric poetry in the Latin language. The meter of this poem is hendecasyllabic, a common form in Catullus's poetry.

LineLatin textEnglish translation1cui dono lepidum novum libellumTo whom do I dedicate this new, charming little book2arida modo pumice expolitumjust now polished with a dry pumice stone?3Corneli tibi namque tu solebasTo you, Cornelius, for you were accustomed4meas esse aliquid putare nugasto think that my nonsense was something,5iam tum cum ausus es unus Italorumeven then when you alone 6omne aevum tribus explicare cartisdared to unfold the entire history of the Italians in three papyrus rolls,7doctis Iuppiter et laboriosislearned, by Jupiter, and full of labor.8quare habe tibi quidquid hoc libelliTherefore, have for yourself whatever this is of a little book,9qualecumque quod o patrona virgoof whatever sort; which, O patron maiden,10plus uno maneat perenne saeclomay it remain everlasting, more than one lifetime.