As always, I am happy for any translation suggestions. I used the version of the text from Minor Authors of the Corpus Tibullianum
(e.d. John Yardley):"Invisus natalis adest, qui rure molesto
et sine Cerintho tristis agendus erit.
dulcius urbe quid est? an villa sit apta puellae
atque Arrentino frigidus amnis agro?
iam, nimium Messalla mei studiose, quiescas;
non tempestivae saepe, propinque, viae.
hic animum sensusque meos abducta relinquo
arbitrio quam vis non sinit esse meo."
"My hated birthday is here, which must be miserably spent
In the troublesome countryside without Cerinthus.
What is sweeter than the city? But would a villa
In the Arrentine fields or the cold river be fitting for a girl?
Now, relax! Messalla is too eager on my behalf;
Frequently the journeys are not opportune.
Having been taken, I leave my mind and feeling here,
it is not permitted that she (i.e. Sulpicia) lives according to my own judgment"
I am a huge fan of Sulpicia's work. Enjoy!
Note 06/20/11: on second thought, I might retranslate the last two lines thus (in an attempt to keep word order and more elegantly translate the ablative absolute): "I leave my mind and feeling here, as I have been taken / it is not permitted that I may be my own master."
Here's the inscrutable birthday, which in molested deserts
ReplyDeleteSans Cerinthus will be sadly spent.
What's sweeter than the city? Or is a villa apt
For girls, the frigid river by
Arrentine fields? Oh Messala you who study me
Exceedingly, be still: not often neighbor are they seasoned
Roads. Here I leave my mind and senses whence my will
Is led away: no further does my wish
Permit.
"No more does my wish prevail." -- that maybe is better.
ReplyDeleteI leave my free will behind
ReplyDelete