Quid dīcam, Gellī, quārē rosea ista labella
hībernā fīant candidiōra nive,
māne domō cum exīs et cum tē octāva quiēte
ē mollī longō suscitat hōra diē?
Nescio quid certē est: an vērē fāma susurrat 5
grandia tē mediī tenta vorāre virī?
Sīc certē est: clāmant Victōris rupta misellī
īlia, et ēmulsō labra notāta serō.
vocabulary
Gellius –ī m.: Roman nomen gentile, identified with L. Gellius Poplicola
roseus –a –um: rosy, red
labellum labellī n.: lip (dim. of labrum)
hībernus –a –um: of winter
nix nivis f.: snow
māne: in the morning
octō; octāvus –a –um: indecl. adj., eight
quiēs quiētis f.: sleep, repose
suscitō suscitāre suscitāvī suscitātus: rouse, dislodge
nescioquis –qua –quid (also written as two words): indef. pron. or adj., someone, something (N. B.: The personal ending of nescio scans as a short syllable.) 5
susurrō susurrāre susurrāvī susurrātus: whisper
grandis grandis grande: grown up; big
tentus –a –um: taut; engorged, erect
vorō vorāre vorāvī vorātus: devour, eat up
clāmō clāmāre clāmāvī clāmātus: shout, cry out
misellus –a –um: poor little; wretchedly in love (dim. of miser)
īlia –ium n. or īle –is: groin, genitals
ēmulgeō –mulgēre –muslī –mulsum: milk; draw off
labrum –ī n.: lip
notō notāre notāvī notātus: mark, stain
serum –ī n.: whey; any fluid similar in appearance, e.g., semen