Carmina

Catullus

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

  1. The maid is here to wed.
  2. A maiden shining bright of blee,
  3. As Myrtle branchlet Asia bred,
  4. Which Hamadryad deity
  5. As toy for joyance aye befed
  6. With humour of the dew.
  7. Then hither come thou, hieing lief,
  8. Awhile to leave th' Aonian cave,
  9. Where 'neath the rocky Thespian cliff
  10. Nymph Aganippe loves to lave
  11. In cooly waves outpoured.
  12. And call the house-bride, homewards bring
  13. Maid yearning for new married fere,
  14. Her mind with fondness manacling,
  15. As the tough ivy here and there
  16. Errant the tree enwinds.
  17. And likewise ye, clean virginal
  18. Maidens, to whom shall haps befall
  19. Like day, in measure join ye all
  20. Singing, 0 Hymenaeus Hymen,
  21. 0 Hymen Hymenaeus.
  22. That with more will-full will a-hearing
  23. The call to office due, he would
  24. Turn footsteps hither, here appearing,
  25. Guide to good Venus, and the good
  26. Lover conjoining strait.
  27. What God than other Godheads more
  28. Must love-sick wights for aid implore?
  29. Whose Godhead foremost shall adore
  30. Mankind? 0 Hymenaeus Hymen,
  31. O Hymen Hymenaeus.
  32. Thee for his own the trembling sire
  33. Invokes, thee Virgins ever sue
  34. Who laps of zone to loose aspire,
  35. And thee the bashful bridegrooms woo
  36. With ears that long to hear.
  37. Thou to the hand of love-fierce swain
  38. Deliverest maiden fair and fain,
  39. From mother's fondling bosom ta'en
  40. Perforce, 0 Hymenaeus Hymen
  41. 0 Hymen Hymenaeus.
  42. Thou lacking, Venus ne'er avails—
  43. While Fame approves for honesty—
  44. Love-joys to lavish: ne'er she fails
  45. Thou willing:—with such Deity
  46. Whoe'er shall dare compare?
  47. Thou wanting, never son and heir
  48. The Hearth can bear, nor parents be
  49. By issue girt, yet can it bear,
  50. Thou willing:—with such Deity,
  51. Whoe'er shall dare compare?
  52. An lack a land thy sacring rite,
  53. The perfect rule we ne'er shall see
  54. Reach Earth's far bourne; yet such we sight,
  55. Thou willing:—with such Deity
  56. Whoe'er shall dare compare?
  57. Your folds ye gateways wide-ope swing!
  58. The maiden comes. Seest not the sheen
  59. Of links their splendent tresses fling?
  60. Let shame retard the modest mien.
  61. ---
  62. ---
  63. Who more she hears us weeps the more,
  64. That needs she must advance.
  65. Cease raining tear-drops! not for thee,
  66. Aurunculeia, risk we deem,
  67. That fairer femininety
  68. Clear day outdawned from Ocean stream
  69. Shall ever more behold.
  70. Such in the many-tinted bower
  71. Of rich man's garden passing gay