Cēnābis bene, mī Fabulle, apud mē
paucīs, sī tibi dī favent, diēbus,
sī tēcum attuleris bonam atque magnam
cēnam, nōn sine candidā puellā
et vīnō et sale et omnibus cachinnīs. 5
Haec sī, inquam, attuleris, venuste noster,
cēnābis bene; nam tuī Catullī
plēnus sacculus est arāneārum.
Sed contrā accipiēs merōs amōrēs,
seu quid suāvius ēlegantiusve est: 10
nam unguentum dabo, quod meae puellae
dōnārunt Venerēs Cupīdinēsque,
quod tū cum olfaciēs, deōs rogābis,
tōtum ut tē faciant, Fabulle, nāsum.
notes
Catullus sends a strange party invitation to his friend Fabullus. If he brings to the party all the food, wine, entertainment, and beautiful women, Catullus will provide true affection and a very special perfume.
Meter: Hendecasyllabics.
1 apud: “at the house of” + accusative.
2 paucīs … diēbus: “in a few days,” ablative of time within which.
2 dī: = deī, subject of favent.
2 favent: “show favor to” + dative.
3 tēcum: = cum tē.
3 sī ... attuleris: future perfect indicative (> affero), as normal in the protasis of a future more vivid condition (AG 516.c): “if you will have brought,” i.e., "if you bring."
4 candidā: “beautiful,” “dazzling,” LS candidus I.A.5.
5 sale: “salt,” i.e. “wit,” LS sal II.A.
6 Haec: “these things,” direct object of attuleris.
6 inquam: “I say.”
7 venuste noster: “my charming fellow,” vocative singular, referring to Fabullus.
8 tuī Catullī: “of your (friend) Catullus,” genitive singular.
9 plēnus: “full of” + genitive, predicate adjective after est.
10 contrā: “in return,” adverb.
10 accipiēs: “you will receive,” future indicative in the apodosis of a future more vivid conditional, expressing what will be the logical result (AG 516).
11 seu quid: seu = sive and quid = aliquid (a shortening which is normal after forms of sī): “or if there is anything.”
11 suāvius ēlegantiusve: “more charming or more elegant,” neuter nominative singular comparative adjectives.
12 quod: “which,” direct object of dōnārunt; the antecedent is unguentum.
13 dōnārunt: dōnāvērunt, syncopated perfect.
13 Venerēs Cupīdinēsque: “the Venuses and the Cupids” (cf. introductory line of Poem 3).
14 quod: “which/it”; direct object of olfaciēs.
14 cum olfaciēs: “when you smell,” future indicative in a cum-clause indicating the time, rather than circumstance or cause, of the main verb (AG 547).
15 ut tē faciant: “that they make you,” pres. subj. in an indirect command after rogābis (AG 563).
15 tōtum … nāsum: “all nose” or “entirely a nose.”
vocabulary
cēnō cēnāre cēnāvī cēnātus: dine
Fabullus –ī m.: a nomen gentile of the Roman gens Fabius (dim. of Fabius)
faveō favēre fāvī fautus: be well-disposed, show favor to (w/dat.)
cēna cēnae f.: dinner (the principal Roman meal, normally eaten in the evening)
sāl salis m.: salt; fig., of a quality that gives character and flavor, wit; by metonymy, the sea 5
cachinnus cachinnī m.: laugh, guffaw; metaph. of rippling waves
venustus –a –um: lovely, attractive, charming; graceful, pretty, neat
Catullus –ī m.: cognomen of Gaius Valerius Catullus
sacculus sacculī m.: purse
arānea arāneae f.: spiderweb, cobweb; spider
merus –a –um: pure, undiluted (esp. of wine)
suāvis suāve: agreeable, pleasant 10
ēlegāns –ntis: discriminating, refined, elegant
unguentum unguentī n.: a fragrant ointment, unguent, or perfume
Venus –eris f.: Venus or Aphrodite, goddess of love and charm
Cupīdō –inis m.: desire; object of desire (as term of affection); Cupid or Eros, companion of Venus/Aphrodite, personification of sexual desire
olfaciō –acere –ēcī –actum: smell
nāsus nāsī m. or nāsum nāsī n.: nose