Catullus 116

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Catullus 116

Saepe tibi studioso animo venante requirens
Often searching with the keen mind hunting

carmina uti possem mittere Battiadae,
so that I can send songs of Battia to you,

qui te lenirem nobis, neu conarere
so that I will conciliate you to me, or so that you would not try

tela infesta meum mittere in usque caput,
to send hostile javelins all the way into my head,

5 hunc video mihi nunc frustra sumptum esse laborem,
I see that this labor has been taken up by me in vain,

Gelli, nec nostras hic valuisse preces.
Gellius, and that my prayers had not prevailed from here.

Contra nos tela ista tua evitabimus amitha,
In reply we will dodge those of your javelins having been sent,

at fixus nostris tu dabis supplicium.
but having been pierced (by our spears) you will give penalty.