Carmen 99
Surripui tibi, dum ludis, mellite Iuventi,
suaviolum dulci dulcius ambrosia.
verum id non impune tuli: namque amplius horam
suffixum in summa me memini esse cruce,
dum tibi me purgo nec possum fletibus ullis
tantillum vestrae demere saevitiae.
nam simul id factum est, multis diluta labella
guttis abstersisti omnibus articulis,
ne quicquam nostro contractum ex ore maneret,
tamquam commictae spurca saliva lupae.
praeterea infesto miserum me tradere amori
non cessasti omnique excruciare modo,
ut mi ex ambrosia mutatum iam foret illud
suaviolum tristi tristius elleboro.
quam quoniam poenam misero proponis amori,
numquam iam posthac basia surripiam.
Poem 99
I stole while you played, Juventius honey,
a little kiss sweeter than sweet ambrosia.
Nor did I go unpunished, but for over an hour
I remember hanging nailed atop the cross
atoning for my sin, nor for all my tears
could I diminish a bit of your rage,
but before your lips could dry you rinsed them clean,
wiped them with the back of your hand,
lest any contagion from my mouth remain,
like the filthy spit of a piss-soaked whore,
all the while making me sick with hateful love,
subjecting me to every possible torture,
until that little kiss changed from ambrosia
to something more bitter than bitter hellebore.
And since you levy this fine on my wretched love,
never anymore any more kisses shall I steal.