4

Catullus honors the ship that carried him back from Bithynia in 56BCE. He had just completed a year’s administrative work there for the governor, C. Memmius (see Poems 10 and 28). Catullus models this poem after a tradition of dedicatory inscriptions that chronicled a worker’s life and commemorated the tools of their labor. 

Meter: iambic senarii

1  Phasēlus ille: “that swift passenger ship”; a vessel in the shape of a kidney-bean, named after the Greek φάσηλος (“bean”).

1  hospitēs: “friends” or “strangers”; refers to people one meets on a journey.

2  ait: “(it/the ship) says”; introduces indirect statement (AG 583).

2  celerrimus: “the fastest” or the “swiftest”; superlative of celer; Catullus retains the nominative (rather than the accusative celerrimum) in this indirect statement.

3  ūllius natantis… trabis: “of any bark swimming (along)”; genitive singular phrase; natantis is present active participle.

4  nequīsse praeterīre: “(nor) was (it) unable to surpass”; another indirect statement with an implied subject.

4  sīve…sīve: whether…or.

4  palmulīs: “with little oar blades”; palmula is the diminutive of palma; used only here and below at line 17.

5  opus foret: “there would be a need (to)”; foret is alternate 3rd singular imperfect subjunctive of esse.

5  linteō: “(or) with a canvas sail”.

6  hoc: “this”; direct object of negāre (line 7).

6  minācis Hādriāticī…lītus: “the shore of the threatening Adriatic”; lītus is the first of 5 accusative subjects of negāre (indirect statement).

7  -ve: or.

7  īnsulās Cȳcladas: “Cycladic islands”; group of islands in the Aegean Sea; the list of places in lines 7-9 possibly traces the boat’s journey home from Bithynia; according to the poem, the boat  traveled south along the western coast of Asia minor, stopping at Rhodes, proceeding across the Aegean through the Isthmus of Corinth, and then north on the Adriatic to Italy.

8  -que: and. 

8  Rhodum nōbilem: “famous Rhodes”; another island in the Aegean.

8  horridam Thrāciam Propontida: “rough Thracian Propontis”; Propontida refers to the Propontis, the ancient name of the Sea of Marmora between the Black Sea and the Aegean (Garrison).

9  trucem Ponticum sinum: “harsh Pontic bay”; refers to the Black Sea (add note on various meanings of sinus).

10  iste post phasēlus: “that one, later a boat.”

10  anteā…comāta silva: “previously a leafy forest.”

11  Cytōriō in iugō: “on the Cytorian ridge”; wooded Mt. Cytorus is located on the southern side of the Black Sea.

12  loquente…comā: “with its foliage speaking/rustling”; ablative singular.

12  sībilum ēdidit: “it uttered a hissing”; sībilum is the direct object of ēdidit.

13  Amastri Pontica: “Pontic Amastris”; vocative singular; Amastris was a port city along the southern coast of the Black Sea.

13  Cytōre buxifer: “boxtree-bearing Cytorus”; vocative singular; Cytorus is another famous port city, famous for its boxwood.

14  tibi haec fuisse et esse cognitissima: “(that) these things have been and are most well-known to you”; indirect statement (AG 583) introduced by ait (line 15); cognitissima is a superlative of cognita; tibi, although singular, refers to Cytorus and Amastris collectively.

15  ultimā ex orīgine: “from its earliest origin.”

16  stetisse dīcit: “it says that it stood”; the first of three indirect statements introduced by dīcit. 

17  imbuisse palmulās: “(that) it dipped it oars”; the second of three indirect statements introduced by dīcit (line 16).

18  tot per impotentia freta: “through so many violent seas.”

19  erum: “master” or “owner”; direct object of tulisse; could indicate that Catullus was the actual owner of the ship; erum tulisse is the third of three indirect statements introduced by dīcit (line 16).

19  laeva sīve dextera vocāret aura: “whether a left (port) or right (starboard) wind called.”

20  utrumque…in pedem: “against each sheet”; refers to the sheets that secure the lower corners of a square sail (Garrison).

20  Iuppiter…secundus: “favorable weather” or “a following wind”; Jupiter is often invoked as a personification of weather.

22  neque ūlla vōta … esse facta: “nor (does it say that) any prayers were made.” 

22  lītorālibus deīs: “to the gods of the shore”; sailors implored these deities for safe passage to the shore.

23  sibi: “on its own behalf”; dative of advantage. 

23  ā marī novissimō: “from the most distant sea.”

24  ad usque: “continuously to” or “all the way to.”

25  haec prius fuēre: “these things were earlier”; fuēre = fuērunt.

25  reconditā…senet quiēte: “it grows old in hidden repose.”

26  tibi: “to you”; refers to Castor and Pollux collectively.

27  gemelle Castor et gemelle Castoris: Castor and Pollux, the mythological patrons of mariners and sea travelers (literally: “twin Castor and twin of Castor”); vocative singulars; gemelle is the diminutive of gemine.