A Translation of Catullus 51 (Lesbia)

Catullus Ille mi par esse deo videtur,

ille, si fas est, superare divos

qui sedens adversus identidem te

spectat et audit

dulce ridentem, misero quod omnis

eripit sensus mihi: nam simul te ,

Lesbia, adspexi, nihil est super mi

vocis in ore

lingua sed torpet, tenuis sub artus

flamma demanat, sonitu suopte

tintinant aures, gemina teguntur

lumina nocte.

Otium, Catulle, tibi molestum est:

otio exsultas nimiumque gestis:

otium et reges prius et beatas

perdidit urbes.

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Catullus, he seems to me almost god-like,

he – dare I say it – exceeds the gods,

the guy who always sits facing you,

watching and listening,

sweetly laughing, ah, miserable wretch that I am

going out of my head with excitement:

for as soon as I see you,

Lesbia,

I am left tongue-tied, too paralyzed to speak

too overcome with sharp flames in a febrile body,

the sound of ringing in my ears,

my eyes doubly covered in shadows.

Catullus, you have too much time on your hands:

too much time, and you act too

impetuously:

the thing that’s destroyed past kings & prosperous

cities.