Catullus Poem 76: Si qua recordanti benefacta priora voluptas est homini; Latin & English

#catullus
#latinpoetry
#latinpronunciation
“The intensity of this soliloquy makes it one of the most interesting in the cycle of Lesbia-poems: as an expression of resignation struggling with despair it possesses a force and reality which belong only to the highest genius.” Robinson Ellis
Note the remarkable number of times elision occurs in the poem: 30, sometimes 3 in one line! Catullus probably wants to express extreme emotional duress.
Vocabulary & Grammar:
qua: any; qua after si = aliqua
voluptās: pleasure
hominī: for a person
recordantī: recalling, remembering
benefacta: good deeds
priōra: past, prior
cum: when
cōgitat: he/she thinks reflects, considers
pium: dutiful, loyal, conscientious
sānctam: sacred
fidem: promise, oath
violāsse = violavisse: has violated
foedere: agreement, pact, contract
ūllō: any
ad: to, in order to; with acc gerundive to indicate purpose
fallendōs: in order to deceive, trick, cheat
nūmine: divine power; ablative sing object after abusum
dīvum = divorum: of the gods
abūsum (esse): abused, to have abused, misused
multa: many; agrees with gaudia in the next line
parāta: gotten, acquired
manent: remain
aetāte: lifetime, period of life
gaudia: joys, delights, gladness, VERY ironic
ingrātō: thankless, ungrateful
amōre: love, love affair
nam: for
quaecumque: whatever things, whatsoever
cuīquam: to anyone, for anyone
dīcere: to say
facere: to do
possunt: are able, can
haec: these things
dictaque sunt: have both been said
factaque sunt: and done
Omnia: all things, everything
crēdita (sunt): were/have been entrusted to, committed to
ingrātae: ungrateful, thankless
mentī: to “that” mind/heart
periērunt: have perished, have been lost
Quārē: therefore, for this reason
amplius: further, even more, anymore
excruciēs: would you/should you torment/torture; Subjunctive.
Quīn: why not? why don’t you? With pres indicative.
animō: in your mind/heart/soul
offirmās: you be firm, hold fast
istinc: from there, from that (terrible/nasty/accursed) place, from that situation
tēque: and yourself
redūcis: you bring back, withdraw, draw back
dīs = deis: the gods
invītīs: unwilling, not giving their consent/approval; since the gods are not in favor; ablative absolute
dēsinis: you stop, cease
miser: miserable, wretched
Note the alliteration in this line: “et dīS invītīS dēSiniS eSSe miser”
longum: long, long-term; this affair with Clodia/Lesbia had extended over four of five years (Merrill).
subitō: suddenly
dēpōnere: to set aside, give up
amōrem: love, love affair
vērum: truly, even so, but
quā lubet: in any way you like, however you like
efficiās: you must accomplish; subjunctive.
salūs: safety, health, well-being, salvation
pervincendum est: must be conquered completely, carried out
faciās: you must do; subjunctive
sīve….sive: whether….or
pote: possible
Note the emphatic repetition of hoc, haec, hoc, hoc.
dī = dei; gods
vestrum: yours, of you, characteristic of you, in your nature, in your power
miserērī: to feel pity, have compassion, pity; deponent
quibus: for any people, anyone; quibus after SI = aliquibus.
umquam: ever
extrēmam: last, final
opem: help, assistance, support
iam: already
ipsā: itself
morte: death
tulistis: you provided, offered, you have offered
miserum: miserable, wretched
aspicite: look upon, regard, consider
pūriter: purely, correctly
ēgī: I have carried out conducted, led
ēripite: take away!
pestem: disease, plague
perniciem: ruin, destruction, disaster
mihi: for me, from me
subrēpēns: creeping/crawling under, creeping into
īmōs: the deepest, innermost; w/ artus.
artūs: joints, limbs
ut: like, as
torpor: numbness
expulit: has driven out, forced out
omnī: all, whole, entire
pectore: chest, breast, heart; soul, spirit, mind
laetitiās: sources of joy/delight/happiness, pleasures, delights
non iam: no longer, not anymore
illud: that
quaerō: I ask, I seek, desire, want
contrā: in return, back; it’s an adverb with diligat, not a prepostion with me.
ut: that; plus subjunctive
illa: that one, she
dīligat: (that) she would love, would feel affection for; subjunctive.
quod: what, that which
potis: possible, able, capable; potis here is neuter ( = pote)
(ut) velit: (that) she would want/wish; subjunctive.
pudīca: chaste, pure, feeling shame, virtuous, faithful
ipse: (I) myself, in contrast to “illa”.
optō: I choose, prefer, desire, hope for, long for
valēre: to be healthy, well, strong
dēpōnere: to set aside, to get rid of, give up.
taetrum: foul, disgusting, revolting, hideous, loathsome
morbum: disease, illness, sickness
dī = dei; gods
reddite: give (in return for), give back, grant, return, provide
mī = mihi: me, to me
prō: for, on behalf of, in return for
pietāte: dutiful conduct, duty, loyalty to the gods, one’s family, friends and country. It doesn’t have the modern religious sense of “piety”.