Social Commentaries
XLII: Come all hendecasyllables whatever
Translated by Robinson Ellis (1871) · From The Poems and Fragments of Catullus (1871)
Come all hendecasyllables whatever,
Wheresoever ye house you, all whatever.
I the game of an impudent adultress?
She refuse to return to me the tablets
Where you syllable? O ye can't be silent.
Up, have after her, ask renunciation.
Would ye know her? a woman, you shall eye her
Strutting loftily, whiles she laughs a loud laugh
Vast and vulgar, a Gaulish hound beseeming.
Form your circle about her, ask her, urge her.
'Hark, adulteress, hand the note-book over.
Hark, the note-book, adultress, hand it over.'
What? you scorn us? O ugly filth, detested
Trull, whatever is all abomination.
Nay then, louder. Enough as yet it is not.
If this only remains, perhaps the dog-like
Face may colour, a brassy blush may yield us.
Swell your voices in higher harsher yellings,
'Hark, adulteress, hand the note-book over;
Hark, the note-book; adultress, hand it over.'
Look, she moves not at all: we waste the moments.
Change your quality, try another issue.
Such composure a sweeter air may alter.
'Pure and virtuous, hand the note-book over.'
Cite this poem
MLA
Catullus, Gaius Valerius. “XLII: Come all hendecasyllables whatever.” Translated by Robinson Ellis. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/catullus/39/.
Chicago
Catullus, Gaius Valerius. “XLII: Come all hendecasyllables whatever.” Translated by Robinson Ellis. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/catullus/39/.
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