A translation of The Raven into Latin was published in 1866, at Oxford and London, in a volume of translations from English poetry, entitled Fasciculus ediderunt Ludovicus Gidley et Robinson Thornton. Mr. Gidley was the author of this particular rendering, which appears to have been once or twice republished already, and is as follows:—
Alta nox erat; sedebam tædio fessus gravi,
Nescio quid exoletæ perlegens scientiæ,
Cum velut pulsantis ortus est sonus meas fores—
Languido pulsantis ictu cubiculi clausas fores:
"En, amicus visitum me serius," dixi, "venit— Inde fit sonus;—quid amplius?"
Ah! recordor quod Decembris esset hora nubili,
In pariete quod favillæ fingerent imagines.
Crastinum diem petebam; nil erat solaminis,
Nil levaminis legendo consequi cura? meæ:—
De Leonina delebam, cœlites quam nominant— Nos non nominamus amplius.
Mœstus aulæi susurros purpurati, et serici,
Horrui vana nee ante cognita formidine;
Propter hoc, cor palpitans ut sisterem, jam dictitans
Constiti, "Meus sodalis astat ad fores meas,
Me meus sero sodalis hie adest efflagitans; Inde fit sonus;—quid amplius?"
