# Catullus 48 in Latin & English- Mellitos oculos tuos, Iuventi

Catullus 48 is a love poem to Juventius, similar to poems 5 and 7, which are addressed to Lesbia/Clodia. In poem 16 he said to Furius and Aurelius:

“Vos, quod milia multa basiorum legistis, male me marem putatis?” (You, since you read ‘many thousands of kisses,’ think I’m not a real man?). I believe the current poem is probably what led to their criticism, and his famous poetic retort in poem 16.

Mellitos: of honey, honey-sweet

Iuventi: Juventius is a young man whom Catullus had a crush on. The “Juventius Cycle” consists of poems 15, 21, 23, 24, 48, 81, 99, and probaby 16 and 40.

Si quis: quis after si = aliquis, someone, anyone; here it’s probably an indirect way of saying “if you yourself would…”

Sinat: would let, permit, allow; present subjunctive. Is Catullus concerned that Juventius would not allow him to kiss him, or is he concerned about what others might think?

Usque: continually, constantly

Usque ad: even to, as far as, up to

Milia trecenta: 300,000 (kisses)! He uses the same number in poem 9: “Verani, omnibus e meis amicis antistans mihi milibus trecentis.”

Basiem: I would kiss, present subjunctive

Nec numquam: not never!

Videar: would I seem, present passive subjunctive

Satur: sated, full, satisfied

Futurus: future active participle of SUM = futurus esse

Densior: denser, more numerous

Aridis aristis: than dry/mature beards/ears of wheat; ARISTA is the bristlelike top of the ear of wheat, the beard or awn. But it can also refer to the ear itself.…

- Kind: Short
- Year: 2022
- Runtime: 2 min
- By: David Amster
- Archive: [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Catullus_48_in_Latin_%26_English-_Mellitos_oculos_tuos,_Iuventi.webm)
- Licence or status: [CC BY 3.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0) (as the archive states it)
- Credit: David Amster
- Who can watch: Teens profiles and older (the archive gives no rating; placed by Invisible Network from its collection and subjects)

[Watch now](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/watch/archive/commons/121445700?play=1)