Catullus's Bigger Ship

Peleus and Thetis

My recent review of Gail Trimble’s magisterial commentary on Catullus poem 64 (Peleus and Thetis) has spurred me to start translating its 406 lines into English verse.

The poem begins with the ship Argo, which the Argonauts sailed to Colchis in order to acquire the Golden Fleece. As it sets sail, the divine nymphs of the Ocean (Nereids) pop up to marvel at the sight. Peleus falls in love at sight with the naked Nereid Thetis, and she with him. They are wed, and one of the gifts at the wedding is a beautiful coverlet embroidered with the story of Ariadne and Theseus, a tale of tragic betrayal in love that takes up the bulk of the poem. Here is the introductory section.

The pine trees bred on Pelion’s mountain top
once swam aloft, they say, through flowing seas
as far as River Phasis and the realm
of King Aeetes. Young men, Argos’ pride,
aiming to take the Golden Fleece, sailed forth
to Colchis, braved salt waves in their swift ship,
and cut white streaks in blue with pinewood oars.

The goddess, who guards city heights, herself
fashioned the ship to scud before the wind,
fitting the pine planks to the smooth-curved keel.
It was the first to probe the untried deep,
and when it cut the sea-surge with its prow
the waves grew white with foam whipped by its oars,
and sea-nymphs rose up from frothing brine
to wonder at the awe-inspiring sight.

That was the day – none such before nor since –
that mortal eyes saw sea-nymphs, nipples bared,
as they rose up from waves of ocean grey.
That was the moment Peleus fell in love
with Thetis, and she fell in love with him,
a mortal: Father Jove their union blessed.
You heroes of that wondrous Golden Age,
I greet you, race divine, illustrious sons
Of noble mothers, hail, and hail again!


Peliaco quondam prognatae vertice pinus
dicuntur liquidas Neptuni nasse per undas
Phasidos ad fluctus et fines Aeeteos,
cum lecti iuvenes, Argivae robora pubis,
auratam optantes Colchis avertere pellem
ausi sunt vada salsa cita decurrere puppi,
caerula verrentes abiegnis aequora palmis.

diva quibus retinens in summis urbibus arces
ipsa levi fecit volitantem flamine currum,
pinea coniungens inflexae texta carinae.
illa rudem cursu prima imbuit Amphitriten.
quae simul ac rostro ventosum proscidit aequor
tortaque remigio spumis incanduit unda,
emersere freti candenti e gurgite vultus
aequoreae monstrum Nereides admirantes.

illa, siqua alia, viderunt luce marinas
mortales oculis nudato corpore nymphas
nutricum tenus exstantes e gurgite cano.
tum Thetidis Peleus incensus fertur amore,
tum Thetis humanos non despexit hymenaeos,
tum Thetidi pater ipse iugandum Pelea sensit.
o nimis optato saeclorum tempore nati
heroes, salvete, deum genus, o bona matrum
progenies, salvete iterum <.   >