C. Valerius Catullus, Carmen 64.164–176
Ariadne's speech turns inward. She acknowledges the futility of her complaints, calls on Jupiter, and looks back with bitter regret at the moment the Athenian ships first reached the Cretan shore at Cnossos.
Tier 1
"sed cūr ego ad ventōs loquor? ventī nōn audiunt. ventī nōn respondent. ventī mē nōn cūrant.
Thēseus iam procul in marī est. nēmō in lītore stat. ego sōla sum.
Fortūna mē nōn iuvat. Fortūna saeva est. Fortūna mihi nēminem dat, quī verba mea audiat.
ō Iuppiter! Athēniēnsēs nāvēs ad Crētam vēnērunt. Thēseus perfidus dīra dōna ad Minōtaurum tulit. Thēseus in domō nostrā mānsit. Thēseus pulcher erat sed crūdēlia cōnsilia in pectore habēbat. Thēseus mē fefellit."
Tier 2
"sed cūr ego, malō territa, aurīs ignārīs frustrā loquor? aurae nūllōs sēnsūs habent. aurae vōcēs meās nec audīre nec reddere possunt.
Thēseus iam in mediīs undīs nāvigat. nēmō hominum in vacuō lītore appāret.
sīc saeva Fortūna mē in extrēmō tempore crūdēliter irrīdet. Fortūna nē aurēs quidem mihi sinit, quae querellās meās audiant.
ō Iuppiter omnipotēns! ille Athēniēnsis perfidus ad Crētam vēnit, et nāvem in Crētā tenuit; dīra dōna saevō taurō tulit. ille malus hospes in sēdibus nostrīs mānsit; crūdēlia cōnsilia pulchrā formā tēxit. omnia haec mē perdidērunt."
Tier 3
"sed quid ego, malō externāta, ignārīs aurīs frustrā conqueror? quae aurae, nūllīs sēnsibus auctae, missās vōcēs nec audīre queunt nec reddere?
ille autem prope iam in mediīs undīs versātur, nec quisquam mortālis in vacuā algā appāret.
sīc saeva fors, extrēmō tempore nimis īnsultāns, etiam aurīs nostrīs questibus invīdit.
Iuppiter omnipotēns! utinam nē tempore prīmō Cecropiae puppēs Gnōsia lītora tetigissent, neque perfidus nāvita, dīra stipendia indomitō taurō ferēns, fūnem in Crētā religāsset, nec malus hīc hospes, crūdēlia cōnsilia dulcī formā cēlāns, in nostrīs sēdibus requiēsset!"
Tier 4 - Carmen Ipsum
- "sed quid ego ignārīs nēquīquam conqueror aurīs,
- externāta malō, quae nūllīs sēnsibus auctae
- nec missās audīre queunt nec reddere vōcēs?
- ille autem prope iam mediīs versātur in undīs,
- nec quisquam appāret vacuā mortālis in algā.
- sīc nimis īnsultāns extrēmō tempore saeva
- fors etiam nostrīs invīdit questibus aurīs.
- Iuppiter omnipotēns, utinam nē tempore prīmō
- Gnōsia Cecropiae tetigissent lītora puppēs,
- indomitō nec dīra ferēns stipendia taurō
- perfidus in Crētā religāsset nāvita fūnem,
- nec malus hīc cēlāns dulcī crūdēlia formā
- cōnsilia in nostrīs requiēsset sēdibus hospes!"
Original draft written by Robert Amstutz
