male est: of bodily illness; cf. Pl. Amph. 1058 “animo male est” (of feeling faint); and, on the other hand, Cic. Fam. 16.5.1 “cum meliuscule tibi esset” (to Tiro, left ill at Patrae).
[2] laboriose: used of physical suffering; cf. Cic. Phil. 11.4.8 “dolores maiores quos laboriosos solemus dicere.”
[3] magis magis: Cf. the same phrase in Catul. 64.274, and Verg. G. 4.311; but more commonly as in Catul. 68.48.
[3] in dies et horas: cf. Bell. Afr. 1.2 “omnes in dies horasque parati” .
[4] quod minimum: etc. with the form of the clause cf. Catul. 37.15 “quod indignum est.”
[6] meos amores: not of a person (cf. Catul. 6.16n.), but of the affection itself: ‘is it thus you treat my love for you?’ cf. Catul. 64.27n. With the ellipsis of the verb in a question of surprise cf. Cic. Att. 13.24 “nihil igitur ne ei quidem litterarum?”
[7] paulum quid libet: just one little word (Ellis); with the ellipsis of the imperative cf. Catul. 55.10 (sc. reddite); Ter. And. 204 “bona verba, quaeso (sc. dicas).”
[8] maestius: and let it be sadder,—for Catullus is so disconsolate that he has ceased to desire encouragement, and yearns only for what is in accordance with his own mood.
[8] lacrimis Simonideis: Simonides (556-467 B.C.), the celebrated poet of Ceos, excelled especially in plaintive themes, and so won even from Aeschylus the prize offered for an elegy upon the Athenians who fell at Marathon.
