69

Catullus observes that Rufus (perhaps M. Caelius Rufus who is likely addressee of 58, 59, and 77) has a problem: no matter what he does, no woman will go out with him. Catullus concludes that the reason for this is simple: Rufus smells so bad that people think a fierce he-goat (trux caper, line 6) is living under his armpits. Rufus may need a bath if he wants to impress his dates!

Meter: elegiac couplets

1  Nōlī: + infinitive “don’t” or “be unwilling (to)”; imperative of nolo.

1  admīrārī: “to wonder”; deponent infinitive; introduces an indirect question (AG 573).

1  quare… fēmina nūlla…velit: “why no women wants”; velit is present subjunctive in an indirect question.

2  supposuisse: “to put beneath” + dative; perfect active infinitive.

2  tenerum…femur: “dainty thigh”; direct object (accusative singular) of supposuisse.

3  rārae … mūnere vestis: “with the gift of an exquisite cloth.”

3  sī…labefactēs: “if you should weaken”; present subjunctive in a future less vivid condition (AG 516.b).

4  perlūcidulī dēliciīs lapidis: “with the delight of a translucent stone”; perlūcidulus is the diminutive of perlucidus.

5  quaedam: “a certain, some”; feminine nominative singular.

5  quā: “in which.”

5  fertur: “(the fierce he-goat) is reported.”

5  tibi…valle sub ālārum: “under the valley of your arms”; tibi is a dative of possession (AG 373).

7  Hunc: “this (he-goat)”; object (accusative singular) of metuunt.

7  neque mīrum: “and it is not surprising”; supply est.

7  valdē: “very”; qualifies mala.

8  quīcum: “with whom”; archaic alternative form of quōcum = cum quō; introduces a relative clause of characteristic (AG 534) with a subjunctive verb (cubet).

8  cubet: “(a pretty girl) lies down”; present subjunctive.

9  Quārē: “therefore.”

9  aut…aut: “either…or.”

9  interfice: “kill!”; imperative singular,  directed at Rufus.

10  admīrārī dēsine: “stop wondering” (literally “cease to wonder”).