Gellius est tenuis: quid nī? Cui tam bona māter
tamque valēns vīvat tamque venusta soror
tamque bonus patruus tamque omnia plēna puellīs
cognātīs, quārē is dēsinat esse macer?
Quī ut nihil attingat, nisi quod fās tangere nōn est, 5
quantumvīs quārē sit macer inveniēs.
vocabulary
Gellius –ī m.: Roman nomen gentile, identified with L. Gellius Poplicola
tenuis tenue: thin
quid nī or quidnī: why not? (rhetorical)
valēns –entis: sturdy, robust, vigorous
venustus –a –um: lovely, attractive, charming; graceful, pretty, neat
patruus patruī m.: paternal uncle
cognātus –a –um: related; as m. or f. subst., a relative
macer –cra –crum: thin, scrawny, emaciated
attingō attingere attigī attāctus: touch; touch upon (in speaking), mention 5
fās n.: indecl. n., that which is right or permissible by divine law; meet and right, fitting, proper
quantusvīs quantavis quantumvis: as much or as many as you could wish