Carmina

Catullus

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

  1. With voice as silver ringing clear,
  2. Beat ground with feet, while brandisht flaunts
  3. Thy hand the piney torch.
  4. For Vinia comes by Manlius woo'd,
  5. As Venus on th' Idalian crest,
  6. Before the Phrygian judge she stood
  7. And now with blessed omens blest,
  8. The maid is here to wed.
  9. A maiden shining bright of blee,
  10. As Myrtle branchlet Asia bred,
  11. Which Hamadryad deity
  12. As toy for joyance aye befed
  13. With humour of the dew.
  14. Then hither come thou, hieing lief,
  15. Awhile to leave th' Aonian cave,
  16. Where 'neath the rocky Thespian cliff
  17. Nymph Aganippe loves to lave
  18. In cooly waves outpoured.
  19. And call the house-bride, homewards bring
  20. Maid yearning for new married fere,
  21. Her mind with fondness manacling,
  22. As the tough ivy here and there
  23. Errant the tree enwinds.
  24. And likewise ye, clean virginal
  25. Maidens, to whom shall haps befall
  26. Like day, in measure join ye all
  27. Singing, 0 Hymenaeus Hymen,
  28. 0 Hymen Hymenaeus.
  29. That with more will-full will a-hearing
  30. The call to office due, he would
  31. Turn footsteps hither, here appearing,
  32. Guide to good Venus, and the good
  33. Lover conjoining strait.
  34. What God than other Godheads more
  35. Must love-sick wights for aid implore?
  36. Whose Godhead foremost shall adore
  37. Mankind? 0 Hymenaeus Hymen,
  38. O Hymen Hymenaeus.
  39. Thee for his own the trembling sire
  40. Invokes, thee Virgins ever sue
  41. Who laps of zone to loose aspire,
  42. And thee the bashful bridegrooms woo
  43. With ears that long to hear.
  44. Thou to the hand of love-fierce swain
  45. Deliverest maiden fair and fain,
  46. From mother's fondling bosom ta'en
  47. Perforce, 0 Hymenaeus Hymen
  48. 0 Hymen Hymenaeus.
  49. Thou lacking, Venus ne'er avails—
  50. While Fame approves for honesty—
  51. Love-joys to lavish: ne'er she fails
  52. Thou willing:—with such Deity
  53. Whoe'er shall dare compare?
  54. Thou wanting, never son and heir
  55. The Hearth can bear, nor parents be
  56. By issue girt, yet can it bear,
  57. Thou willing:—with such Deity,
  58. Whoe'er shall dare compare?
  59. An lack a land thy sacring rite,
  60. The perfect rule we ne'er shall see
  61. Reach Earth's far bourne; yet such we sight,
  62. Thou willing:—with such Deity
  63. Whoe'er shall dare compare?
  64. Your folds ye gateways wide-ope swing!
  65. The maiden comes. Seest not the sheen
  66. Of links their splendent tresses fling?
  67. Let shame retard the modest mien.
  68. ---
  69. ---
  70. Who more she hears us weeps the more,
  71. That needs she must advance.
  72. Cease raining tear-drops! not for thee,
  73. Aurunculeia, risk we deem,
  74. That fairer femininety
  75. Clear day outdawned from Ocean stream
  76. Shall ever more behold.
  77. Such in the many-tinted bower
  78. Of rich man's garden passing gay
  79. Upstands the hyacinthine flower.
  80. But thou delayest, wanes the day:
  81. “Prithee, come forth new Bride.”
  82. Prithee, come forth new Bride! methinks,
  83. Drawing in sight, the talk we hold
  84. Thou haply hearest. See the Links!
  85. How shake their locks begilt with gold:
  86. Prithee, new Bride come forth.
  87. Not lightly given thy mate to ill
  88. Joys and adulterous delights
  89. Foul fleshly pleasures seeking still
  90. Shall ever choose he lie o' nights
  91. Far from thy tender paps.
  92. But as with pliant shoots the vine
  93. Round nearest tree-trunk winds her way,
  94. He shall be ever twined in thine
  95. Embraces:— yet, lo! wanes the day:
  96. Prithee, come forth new Bride!
  97. Couchlet which to me and all
  98. ---
  99. With bright white bedstead foot.
  100. What joys the lord of thee betide!
  101. What love-liesse on vaguing way
  102. 0' nights! What sweets in morning tide