Sulpicia II

Salvete omnes, this time around I’ll be working on Sulpicia’s second poem. I am using The Latin Library for the text, and I’m using a translation by Lee Pearcy as a reference point.

Invisus natalis adest, qui rure molesto
    et sine Cerintho tristis agendus erit.
Dulcius urbe quid est? an villa sit apta puellae
    atque Arrentino frigidus amnis agro?
Iam nimium Messalla mei studiose, quiescas,
    heu tempestivae, saeve propinque, viae!
Hic animum sensusque meos abducta relinquo,
    arbitrio quamvis non sinis esse meo.

The hated birthday is here, which, in the vexing countryside

and without Cerinthus, is to be sorrowful.

What is more charming than the city? Can it be that a country home

and the cool Arrentino river by the field is apt for a young girl?

Now Messalla, too attentive to me, you should rest;

Cruel relative, journeys are not timely!

Having been taken away, here I relinquish my feelings and mind,

Although you do not allow for my own will.

I had a hard time with these last few lines, they’re a bit confusing. But, to recap the poem, Sulpicia will be forced to spend her birthday out of Rome, with her uncle. She desperately does not want this, she wishes she could spend her birthday with her lover Cerinthus, and she feels that she has no control here. We learn a little more about Sulpicia’s lover here, and I’ve done a bit of research to try to learn a little more about Sulpicia’s life. We know most of what we know specifically from her poems, and we can infer that her relationship with Cerinthus is something that she’s hiding. Most likely he is a client of her father’s, but it is largely inconclusive as to what his real identity is. Additionally, his pseudonym may be a play on Cytherea, mentioned in the last poem. Cytherea is one of the many names for Venus, and it would make sense for Sulpicia to compare her lover to the goddess of love.

That’s everything, the next two poems I’ll be working on are the start of a little drama in her love life, so get excited!

Valete et gratias!