Social Commentaries
XXVIII: Starving company, troop of hungry Piso
Translated by Robinson Ellis (1871) · From The Poems and Fragments of Catullus (1871)
Starving company, troop of hungry Piso,
Light of luggage, of outfit expeditious,
You, Veranius, you, my own Fabullus,
Say, what fortune? enough of empty masters,
Frost and famine, a lingering probation?
Stands your diary fair? is any profit
Enter'd given? as I to serve a praetor
Count each beggarly gift a timely profit.
Trust me, Memmius, you did aptly finger
My passivity, fool'd me most supinely.
Friends, confess it; in e'en as hard a fortune
You stand mulcted, on you a like abashless
Rake rides heavily. Court the great who wills it!
Gods and goddesses evil heap upon ye,
Rogues to Romulus and to Remus outcast.
Cite this poem
MLA
Catullus, Gaius Valerius. “XXVIII: Starving company, troop of hungry Piso.” Translated by Robinson Ellis. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/catullus/25/.
Chicago
Catullus, Gaius Valerius. “XXVIII: Starving company, troop of hungry Piso.” Translated by Robinson Ellis. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/catullus/25/.
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