8/31 - Catullus LXIV (64)

LXIV (64) 62-85

prospicit et magnis curarum fluctuat undis,
non flavo retinens subtilem vertice mitram,
non contecta levi velatum pectus amictu,
non tereti strophio lactentis vincta papillas,
omnia quae toto delapsa e corpore passim
ipsius ante pedes fluctus salis alludebant.
sed neque tum mitrae neque tum fluitantis amictus
illa vicem curans toto ex te pectore, Theseu,
toto animo, tota pendebat perdita mente.
misera, assiduis quam luctibus externavit
spinosas Erycina serens in pectore curas,
illa tempestate, ferox quo ex tempore Theseus
egressus curvis e litoribus Piraei
attigit iniusti regis Gortynia templa.
nam perhibent olim crudeli peste coactam
Androgeoneae poenas exsolvere caedis
electos iuvenes simul et decus innuptarum
Cecropiam solitam esse dapem dare Minotauro.
quis angusta malis cum moenia vexarentur,
ipse suum Theseus pro caris corpus Athenis
proicere optavit potius quam talia Cretam
funera Cecropiae nec funera portarentur.
atque ita nave levi nitens ac lenibus auris
magnanimum ad Minoa venit sedesque superbas.

She sees and fluctuates with great waves of cares,
Not keeping that finely-wrought headdress on the golden crown of her head,
Not covered with her light garment in respect to her previously covered breast,
Her milky breasts no longer bound with the rolled cord
All these things which float down from her whole body everywhere
Before her feet the waves of the briny sea were playing with.
But caring neither at that time for her headdress nor her flowing garment, she was
Hanging from you with her whole heart, Theseus,
Her whole spirit, her, poor lost one, whole mind.
Oh poor girl, whom Venus was driving mad with continuous grief
Sowing thorny cares in her heart,
Ever since that time when fierce Theseus,
Having set out from the curved shores of Piraeus,
First reached the Gortynian temples of the unjust king [Minos].
For they say that once upon a time, compelled by a fierce plague
To pay the penalty for the killing of Androgeonus,
Athens was accustomed to give a meal of the chosen youth to the glorious Minotaur.
When the narrow Athenian walls were being vexed with these said evils,
Theseus himself chose to throw his own body forward for
Dear Athens rather than that such corpses and yet
Un-corpses of Athens are born to Crete.
And thus leaning on the light ship and with gentle winds
He came to great-hearted Minos and his proud chair.