POETAE tenero, meo sodali,

1

I ask you, papyrus page, to tell

uelim Caecilio, papyre, dicas

2

the gentle poet, my friend Caecilius,

Veronam ueniat, Noui relinquens

3

to come to Verona, leaving the walls

Comi moenia Lariumque litus.

4

of Novum Comum and the shore of Larius:

nam quasdam uolo cogitationes

5

for I wish him to receive certain thoughts

amici accipiat sui meique.

6

of a friend of his and mine.

quare, si sapiet, uiam uorabit,

7

Wherefore if he is wise he will devour the way with haste

quamuis candida milies puella

8

though his fair lady should call him back

euntem reuocet, manusque collo

9

a thousand times, and throwing both her arms

ambas iniciens roget morari.

10

round his neck beg him to delay.

quae nunc, si mihi uera nuntiantur,

11

She now, if a true tale is brought to me,

illum deperit impotente amore.

12

dotes on him with passionate love.

nam quo tempore legit incohatam

13

For since she read the beginning of his

Dindymi dominam, ex eo misellae

14

"Lady of Dindymus," ever since then, poor girl,

ignes interiorem edunt medullam.

15

the fires have been wasting her inmost marrow.

ignosco tibi, Sapphica puella

16

I can feel maiden more scholarly

musa doctior; est enim uenuste

17

than the Sapphic muse; for Caecilius has indeed

Magna Caecilio incohata Mater.

18

made a lovely beginning to his "Magna Mater."