Carmina

Catullus

Catullus, Gaius Valerius. The Carmina of Caius Valerius Catullus. Burton, Sir Richard Francis, translator. London, Printed for the Translators, 1894.

  1. Wherefore Priapus is bound to requite such honours by service,
  2. Doing his duty to guard both vineyard and garth of his lordling.
  3. Here then, O lads, refrain from ill-mannered picking and stealing:
  4. Rich be the neighbour-hind and negligent eke his Priapus:
  5. Take what be his: this path hence leadeth straight to his ownings.
  1. I thuswise fashionèd by rustic art
  2. And from dried poplar-trunk (0 traveller!) hewn,
  3. This fieldlet, leftwards as thy glances fall,
  4. And my lord's cottage with his pauper garth
  5. Protect, repelling thieves' rapacious hands.
  6. In spring with vari-coloured wreaths I'm crown'd,
  7. In fervid summer with the glowing grain,
  8. Then with green vine-shoot and the luscious bunch,
  9. And glaucous olive-tree in bitter cold.
  10. The dainty she-goat from my pasture bears
  11. Her milk-distended udders to the town:
  12. Out of my sheep-cotes ta'en the fatted lamb
  13. Sends home with silver right-hand heavily charged;
  14. And, while its mother lows, the tender calf
  15. Before the temples of the Gods must bleed.