Main Text
pg 138XCIX
- 1Surripui tibi dum ludis, mellite Iuuenti,
- 2 suauiolum dulci dulcius ambrosia.
- 3uerum id non impune tuli, namque amplius horam
- 4 suffixum in summa me memini esse cruce
- 5dum tibi me purgo nec possum fletibus ullis
- 6 tantillum uestrae demere saeuitiae.
- 7nam simul id factum est, multis diluta labella
- 8 guttis abstersti mollibus articulis
- 9ne quicquam nostro contractum ex ore maneret,
- 10 tamquam commictae spurca saliua lupae.
- 11praeterea infesto miserum me tradere amori
- 12 non cessasti omnique excruciare modo,
- 13ut mi ex ambrosia mutatum iam foret illud
- 14 suauiolum tristi tristius helleboro.
- 15quam quoniam poenam misero proponis amanti,
- 16 numquam iam posthac basia surripiam.
Translation
Editor’s Notepg 139Editor’s NoteXCIX
- 1Honeyed Juventius, while you were playing I stole from you
- 2 A sweeter kiss than sweet ambrosia.
- 3Yes, but I didn't get it scot-free, for I remember
- 4 Being stuck for more than an hour on a cross
- 5While I made my excuses to you but could not move
- 6 Your cruelty one bit with all my tears.
- 7For hardly was it done before you drenched your lips
- 8 With water-drops and wiped them with soft knuckles,
- 9Lest anything infectious from my mouth remain,
- 10 As though it were some pissed-on whore's foul spittle.
- 11Besides you were not slow to hand wretched me over
- 12 To angry Love and crucify me every way,
- 13So that for me that kiss was now turned from ambrosia
- 14 To something sourer than sour hellebore.
- 15Since you propose this penalty for a wretched lover,
- 16 Henceforth I'll never steal a kiss again.
