Catullus: Poem 31 "Homecoming" (From Latin)

Poem 31: Homecoming
By Gaius Valerius Catullus
Translated by A.Z. Foreman

Jewel of the headlands, blue eye of the islands
That bow on outspread oceans and on slow
Freshwater lakes to Neptune's rule in silence:
I come to you with pleasure, Sirmio¹.
I hardly yet believe I've left behind
The Asian¹ plains to see you safe at last.
No greater blessing than to feel the mind
Lay down its burden, casting off the past
Journeys' exhaustion, coming back among
The household gods, to the bed for which I longed.
And this alone repays those many labors.
Hello, my gorgeous Sirmio! As your man
Is glad, be glad. You too, Lake Garda's wavelets,
Let loose and laugh as only sweet home can.

Notes:

¹Sirmio, the location of Catullus' country house on Lake Garda.

²Catullus had just returned from Bithynia (modern northeastern Turkey) where he served on the staff of commander Gaius Memmius.

The Original:

Carmen XXXI
Catullus

Paene i�nsula�rum, Sirmio�, I�nsula�rumque
ocelle, qua�scumque in liquentibus sta�gni�s
mari�que va�sto� fert uterque neptu�nus,
quam te libenter quamque laetus inviso�,
vix mi� ipse cre�de�ns Thy�niam atque Bithy�nos
li�quisse campo�s et vide�re te� in tuto�.
O� quid solu�ti�s est bea�tius cu�ri�s,
cum me�ns onus repo�nit, ac peregri�no�
labo�re fessi� ve�nimus larem ad nostrum,
de�si�dera�to�que acquie�scimus lecto?
Hoc est quod u�num est pro� labo�ribus tanti�s.
Salve�, o� venusta Sirmio�, atque ero� gaude
gaudente; vo�sque, o� Ly�diae lacu�s undae,
ri�de�te quidquid est domi cachinnorum.

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