Martial 1.32
Non amo te, Sabidi, nec possum dicere quare;
hoc tantum possum dicere, non amo te.
This is by Martial, a Spanish poet who moved to Rome shortly after the death of Nero. The only word you don’t know is Sabidi. This is the vocative form of the name Sabidius. Romans used the vocative when addressing someone directly, as you can see in our grammar section. Sabidius was obviously an acquaintance of the poet’s.
Can you manage a translation? If so, congratulations. One day into your studies, you are reading Latin poetry in the original language. If not, don’t worry. Just go back and give the vocabulary another spin.
You can find a fairly bland translation here, with a link to a famous and much less literal rendition. If you’re happy with your own version, and you’re ready for some Latin prose, carry on to the next lesson.