Catullus newly Englished

There's a long review here of the new text and translation of Catullus by Peter Green.

The reviewer Emily Wilson at one point writes:

As an example of the liveliness and the vigor of Green's translation, here is one of Catullus's most famous poems (poem 2, Passer, deliciae meae puellae), in which the poet envies his girlfriend's pet bird.

Sparrow, precious darling of my sweetheart,
always her plaything, held fast in her bosom,
whom she loves to provoke with outstretched finger
tempting the little pecker to nip harder
when my incandescent longing fancies
just a smidgin of fun and games and comfort
for the pain she's feeling (I believe it!),
something to lighten that too-heavy ardor–
how I wish I could sport with you as she does,
bring some relief to the spirit's black depression!

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