这学期前半部分念Cicero的Pro Cluentio，后半部分在念Catullus。虽然就我的水平和品味而言，诗歌明显beyond me，但还是有一些小小的喜悦和感动，例如Catullus最有名的两首关于Lesbia的诗（就是有很多亲吻的那个和很多比喻的那个），又如他对情伤之后矛盾心情的细腻描写，如这首76：

Siqua recordanti benefacta prior voluptas
est homini, cum se cogitat esse pium,
nec sanctum violasse fidem, nec foedere nullo
divum ad fallendos numine abusum homines,
multa parata manent in longa aetate, Catulle,
ex hoc ingrato gaudia amore tibi.
Nam quaecumque homines bene cuiquam aut dicere possunt
aut facere, haec a te dictaque factaque sunt.
Omnia quae ingratae perierunt credita menti.
Quare iam te cur amplius excrucies?
Quin tu animo offirmas atque istinc te ipse reducis,
et dis invitis desinis esse miser?
Difficile est longum subito deponere amorem,
difficile est, verum hoc qualubet eficias:
una salus haec est, hoc est tibi pervincendum,
hoc facias, sive id non pote sive pote.
O di, si vestrum est misereri, aut si quibus umquam
extremam iam ipsa in morte tulistis opem,
me miserum aspicite et, si vitam puriter egi,
eripite hanc pestem perniciemque mihi,
quae mihi subrepens imos ut torpor in artus
expulit ex omni pectore laetitias.
Non iam illud quaero, contra me ut diligat illa,
aut, quod non potis est, esse pudica velit:
ipse valere opto et taetrum hunc deponere morbum.
O di, redite mi hoc pro pietate mea.

有人认为这首诗自O di, si vestrum est misereri开始应该属于另一首，因为明显逻辑不同，前半部分要自己努力克制，后半部分则乞求于神的帮助。此外语言也不同，前半部分用第三人称来称呼自己，后半部分则用反身代词。到底是一首还是两首，我没有能力下判断，只是觉得伤心之下有逻辑没逻辑都是可以的。若作一首诗看，可以认为前半部分尚且努力保持理性和疏远，后半部分则转入绝望的呼救，体现了心情的转变，更增加悲剧色彩吧。
网上有英译，不过不完全准确。暂且贴在下面：
If there is any pleasure for a man in remembering former
good deeds, when he thinks himself to be dutiful,
nor to have violated a sacred trust, nor in any contract
of the gods abused divine power to deceive men,
much joy remains for you, Catullus, in this long life,
furnished from this thankless love.
For whatever man can either say or do well
for anyone, this has been said and done by you:
having been entrusted to an ungrateful heart, all that perished.
Therefore, why do you now suffer more?
Why not be obstinate in your mind and bring yourself back from thence
and cease to be unhappy in front of the unwilling gods.
it is difficult, but let us do it at any hazard.
It is difficult to set aside a longstanding love.
This is the only safety, and you must overcome this,
whether it is not possible or it is possible.
O gods, if it is your will to have pity,
or if you have ever brought your help to any already
at the extreme, in death itself, look upon my unhappiness and,
if I have lived life in a pure manner,
remove this plague and ruin from me,
which stealing upon me inmost as a lethargy in my limbs
expelled the happiness from all my heart.
I no longer ask for that, that she chooses me in return,
or, because it is not possible, she chooses to be chaste:
I wish that I myself be healthy and put aside this horrible disease.
O gods, give this back to me for my piety.

 

多语言版本参见http://rudy.negenborn.net/catullus/text2/l76.htm