C. Valerius Catullus, Carmen 108: Cominius' Fate
An invective addressed to an old man named Cominius, on what would follow if the people were to judge him.
Tier 1
Cominī, sī populus cōnstituit interficere tuam albam senectūtem, foedātam impūrīs mōribus,
putō prīmum populus secābit linguam tuam, inimīcam bonōrum virōrum, et dabunt linguam tuam vulturiō,
deinde corvus cōnsūmet oculōs tuōs ātrō gutture,
deinde canēs cōnsūment intestīna tua, lupī cōnsūment tua cētera membra.
Tier 2
Cominī, sī tua cāna senectūs, spurcāta impūrīs mōribus, intereat arbitriō populī,
equidem nōn dubitō quīn prīmum lingua, inimīca bonōrum, exsecta data sit avidō vulturiō,
corvus voret effossōs oculōs ātrō gutture,
canēs intestīna, lupī cētera membra.
Tier 3 - Carmen Ipsum
- sī, Cominī, populī arbitriō tua cāna senectūs
- spurcāta impūrīs mōribus intereat,
- nōn equidem dubitō quīn prīmum inimīca bonōrum
- lingua exsecta avidō sit data vulturiō,
- effossōs oculōs voret ātrō gutture corvus,
- intestīna canēs, cētera membra lupī.
Original draft written by Robert Amstutz
