***
nōtēscatque magis mortuus atque magis,
nec tenuem texēns sublīmis arānea tēlam
in dēsertō Allī nōmine opus faciat. 50
Nam, mihi quam dederit duplex Amathūsia cūram,
scītis, et in quō mē torruerit genere,
cum tantum ārdērem quantum Trīnacria rūpēs
lymphaque in Oetaeīs Mālia Thermopylīs,
maesta neque assiduō tābēscere lūmina flētū 55
cessārent. Trīstīque imbre madēre genae.
Quālis in āeriī perlūcēns vertice montis
rīvus muscōsō prōsilit ē lapide,
quī cum dē prōnā praeceps est valle volūtus,
per medium dēnsī trānsit iter populī, 60
dulce viātōrī lassō in sūdōre levāmen,
cum gravis exustōs aestus hiulcat agrōs:
hīc, velut in nigrō iactātīs turbine nautīs
lēnius aspīrāns aura secunda venit
iam prece Pollūcis, iam Castoris implōrāta, 65
tāle fuit nōbīs Allius auxilium.
Is clausum lātō patefēcit līmite campum,
isque domum nōbīs isque dedit dominae,
ad quam commūnēs exercērēmus amōrēs.
vocabulary
notescō –tescere –tuī: become known or famous
mortuus –a –um: dead
tenuis tenue: thin
texō –ere –texuī –textus: weave
sublīmis sublīme: high
arānea arāneae f.: spiderweb, cobweb; spider
tēla tēlae f.: cloth on the loom; spider's web
(Manius) Allius –iī m.: a friend of Catullus 50
duplex –icis: folded double; double, two-sided
Amathūsia –ae f.: Venus as worshipped at Amathus
torreō –ēre –uī tostus: scorch, parch
Trīnacriaus (Trīnacrius) –a –um: Sicily, so-called because of its triangular shape
rūpēs –is f.: cliff, crag
lympha –ae f.: a water nymph; (poet.) water
Oetaeus –a –um: of Mt. Oeta in southern Thessaly, traditionally associated with the evening star and the hot springs of Thermopylae
Mālius –a –um: of Malis in southern Thessaly, near Thermopylae
Thermopylae –ārum f.: Gk. "Hot Gates", the narrow passage between Mt. Oeta and the Malian Gulf, named after its hot springs, where the Spartans resisted the Persian invasion of 480 B. C.
assiduus –a –um: settled; constantly present, persistent, unremitting 55
tābescō tābescere tābuī: waste away
flētus fletūs m.: weeping; tears
cessō cessāre cessāvī cessātus: hold back, desist
imber imbris m.: rain; (metaph.) a shower of tears
madeō –ēre: be wet; e.g., with tears
gena –ae f.: cheek
āerius –a –um: of the air, airy
pellūceō –lūcēre –lūxī —: transmit or emit light; shine
vertex verticis m.: whirlpool, whirlwind; top of the head; summit
rīvus –ī m.: stream
muscosus –a –um: mossy
prōsiliō –īre –uī (–īvī or –iī): rush forth; jump up suddenly
prōnus –a –um: leaning forward, angling or sloping toward the ground; sloping; face down, prone; flat
praeceps praecipitis: plunging headfirst; headlong; sudden
vallēs vallis f.: valley
volvō volvere voluī volūtum: cause to roll
dēnsus –a –um: dense, closely packed 60
viātor –ōris m.: traveler
lassus –a –um: tired, weary
sūdor sūdōris m.: sweat, perspiration
levāmen –inis n.: relief, solace, comfort
exūrō –ere –ussī –ūstus: burnt; parched
aestus aestūs m.: heat, hot weather; swell (of the sea), flood; tumult
hiulcō –āre: cause to crack open
iactō iactāre iactāvī iactātus: throw; toss about, torment
turbō (turben) turbinis m.: anything that spins; whirlwind, tornado; maelstrom; a weight used in spinning
nauta nautae m.: sailor
lēniter lēnius (comp.) lēnissimē (superl.): gently; without drastic effect
aspīrō (adspīrō) adspīrāre adspīrāvī adspīrātus: breathe; blow
Pollūx –ūcis m.: son of Tyndareus and Leda, brother of Castor and fellow-patron of sailors 65
Castor –oris m.: son of Leda and Tyndareus, twin brother of Pollux; one of a twin constellation used in navigation; patron (with his brother Pollux) of seafarers and ships
implōrō implōrāre implōrāvī implōrātus: ask for something with entreaty
patefaciō patefacere patefēcī patefactum: make open, open up
līmes –itis m.: boundary; lane, path