Catullus+4

iambic trimeter
 * Catullus 4**

//That Phaselus, which you see, strangers,// - hospites - vocative
 * Phaselus ille, quem videtis, hospites,**

//says that it was the fastest of ships,// - fuisse navium celerrimus - Greek indirect statement
 * ait fuisse navium celerrimus,**

//and that he was not unable to surpass the speed of any sailing boat// - litotes - natantis - present active participle - metonymy
 * neque ullius natantis impetum trabis**

//whether it would be necessary to fly// - nequisse - perfect active infinitive - palmulus - diminuitive
 * nequisse praeterire, sive palmulis**

//by way of oars or hand.// - foret - futurum esset - imperfect subjunctive
 * opus foret volare sive linteo.**

//it denies that the shore of the the threatening Hadriatic//
 * et hoc negat minacis Hadriatici**

//or the Cycladic Islands//
 * negare litus insulasve Cycladas**

//And the famous Rhodes and the rough Thracian// - chiasmus - ABBA
 * Rhodumque nobilem horridamque Thracia**

//Propontus (sea of Marmora) or the harsh Pontic Sea (Black Sea),//
 * Propontida trucemve Ponticum sinum,**

//Where that boat to be was previously// - post refers to phaselus
 * ubi iste post phaselus antea fuit**

//a leafy forest; for on the Cytorian mountain// - Cytorio refers to iugu
 * comata silva; nam Cytorio in iugu**

//it often uttered whistling sounds by means of its speaking foliage.// - saepe sibilum - alliberation - loquente refers to coma - coma is ablative of means
 * loquente saepe sibilum edidit coma.**

//Pontic Amastrus and boxwood bearing Cytorus,// - vocative - buxifer refers to Cytore
 * Amastri Pontica et Cytore buxifer,**

//The Phaselus says that these things were and are very well known to you;// - haec...cognitissima - indirect statement - cognitissima - superlative
 * tibi haec fuisse et esse cognitissima**

//From its earliest days//
 * ait phaselus; ultima ex origine**

//it says that it stood on your peak,// - stetisse - Perfect Active Infinitive
 * tuo stetisse dicit in cacumine,**

//and that it dipped its oars in your sea,// - imbuisse - Perfect Active Infinitive
 * tuo imbuisse palmulas in aequore,**

//and that it carried its masters there through so many raging straits,// - tot and impotentia refer to freta
 * et inde tot per impotentia freta**

//whether a breeze would call on the left or the right,// - added another sive between tulisse and laeva
 * erum tulisse, laeva sive dextera**

//or a favorable wind// - vocaret imperfect subjunctive - Iuppiter - metonomy - wind
 * vocaret aura, sive utrumque Iuppiter**

//would fall upon each sail at the same time// - incidisset - pluperfect subjunctive
 * simul secundus incidisset in pedem;**

//nor that any vows were made by it to the gods of the shore//
 * neque ulla vota litoralibus deis**

//when it came from the most recent sea//
 * sibi esse facta, cum veniret a mari**

//all the way up to this clear lake.//
 * novissime hunc ad usque limpidum lacum.**

//but these events were first: now// - fuerunt - syncopation - recondita - ablative of manner, refers to quiete
 * sed haec prius fuere: nunc recondita**

//it grows old in a hidden rest and it dedicates itself to you,//
 * senet quiete seque dedicat tibi,**

//twin Castor and the twin of Castor. -// gemelle - vocative - conduplicatio
 * gemelle Castor et gemelle Castoris.**