Zmyrna meī Cinnae nōnam post dēnique messem
quam coepta est nōnamque ēdita post hiemem,
mīlia cum intereā quīngenta Hortēnsius ūnō
***
Zmyrna cavās Satrachī penitus mittētur ad undās, 5
Zmyrnam cāna diū saecula pervoluent.
At Volusī annālēs Paduam morientur ad ipsam
et laxās scombrīs saepe dabunt tunicās.
vocabulary
Zmyrna –ae f.: Smyrna, city in Asia Minor (mod. Izmir); title of historical poem by C. Helvius Cinna
Cinna –ae m.: a family name, e.g., C. Helvius Cinna, Catullus' friend
novem; nōnus –a –um: ninth
messis –is f.: harvest
intereā: in the meantime; with adversative force, in these circumstances
quīngentī –ae –a; quīngentēsimus –a –um: five hundred
Hortensius –a um: Roman nomen gentile, e.g., of Q. Hortensius Hortalus
cavus –a –um: hollow; deep
Satrachus –ī m.: river in Cyprus, connected with the legend of Smyrna's son Adonis 5
penitus or penitē: from within; far away; deeply
cānus –a –um: white, whitened
pervolvō –volvere: go on unwinding (a book scroll)
Volusius –ia –ium: Romen nomen gentile
Annālis –is m.: a book of annals or chronicles; (pl.) a chronicle in several books
Padua –ae f.: one of the mouths of the Padus (Po) River
laxus –a –um: spacious; loose
scomber –brī m.: mackerel
tunica tunicae f.: tunic, a standard garment worn by both sexes