Love

LI: He to me like unto the Gods appeareth

by Gaius Valerius Catullus c. 84 – c. 54 BC

Translated by Robinson Ellis (1871) · From The Poems and Fragments of Catullus (1871)

Love

He to me like unto the Gods appeareth,
He, if I dare speak it, ascends above them,
Face to face who toward thee attently sitting
Gazes or hears thee

Lovely in sweet laughter; alas within me
Every lost sense falleth away for anguish;
When as I look'd on thee, upon my lips no
Whisper abideth,
Straight my tongue froze, Lesbia; soon a subtle
Fire thro' each limb streameth adown; with inward
Sound the full ears tinkle, on either eye night's
Canopy darkens.
Ease alone, Catullus, alone afflicts thee;
Ease alone breeds error of heady riot;
Ease hath entomb'd princes of old renown and
Cities of honour.

MLA

Catullus, Gaius Valerius. “LI: He to me like unto the Gods appeareth.” Translated by Robinson Ellis. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/catullus/48/.

Chicago

Catullus, Gaius Valerius. “LI: He to me like unto the Gods appeareth.” Translated by Robinson Ellis. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/catullus/48/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

More by Gaius Valerius Catullus