Love Will Not Let the Poet Sleep - Petronius

Question 1

lecto compositus vix prima silentia noctis
carpebam et somno lumina victa dabam,

Answer 1

Settled in bed I was only just beginning to enjoy the early quiet of the night and I was giving my overcome eyes to sleep,

Question 2

cum me saevus Amor prensat sursumque capilis
excitat et lacerum pervigilare iubet.

Answer 2

when cruel Love grabs hold of me and upwards by the hair, he rouses me and orders me, shattered, to stay awake all night.

Question 3

‘tu famulus meus’ inquit ‘ames cum mille puellas,
solus, io, solus, dure, iacere potes?’

Answer 3

‘Can you, my slave,’ he said, ‘although you love a thousand girls, lie alone? Hey! Alone, hard-hearted man?’

Question 4

exsilio et pedibus nudif tunicaque soluta
omne iter impedio, nullum iter expedio.

Answer 4

I leap up and with bare feet and with loose tunic block every path, I clear no route.

Question 5

nunc propero, nunc ire piget, rursumque redire
paenitet, et pudor est stare via media.

Answer 5

Now I hurry, now I dislike moving, and to go back again is a regret, and I am ashamed to stand in the middle of the street.

Question 6

ecce tacent voces hominum strepitusque viarum
et volucrum cantus turbaque fida canum:

Answer 6

Look, the voices of he people are silent and the din of streets and the song of birds and the faithful crowd of dogs.

Question 7

solus ego ex cunctis paveo sumnumque torumque,
et sequor imperium, magne Cupido, tuum.

Answer 7

I alone out of everyone, dread both sleep and my bed, and I follow your command, Great Cupid.