Tuesday, April 10, 2007

nox est perpetua una dormienda

Vivamus mea Lesbia, atque amemus,
rumoresque senum severiorum
omnes unius aestimemus assis!
soles occidere et redire possunt:
nobis cum semel occidit brevis lux,
nox est perpetua una dormienda.
da mi basia mille, deinde centum,
dein mille altera, dein secunda centum,
deinde usque altera mille, deinde centum.
dein, cum milia multa fecerimus,
conturbabimus illa, ne sciamus,
aut ne quis malus inuidere possit,
cum tantum sciat esse basiorum.

This was also one of those over-done-in-first-year-Catullus poems--but who can blame them for teaching such a rapturous and yet exquisitely nuanced poem?

Even now, I find myself rhapsodizing, "Da mihi basia mille!" But in my head, away from Normal People.

And, I've always loved the line, nox est perpetua una dormienda.

Sigh.






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