Carmina

Catullus

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

  1. Errant the tree enwinds.
  2. And likewise ye, clean virginal
  3. Maidens, to whom shall haps befall
  4. Like day, in measure join ye all
  5. Singing, 0 Hymenaeus Hymen,
  6. 0 Hymen Hymenaeus.
  7. That with more will-full will a-hearing
  8. The call to office due, he would
  9. Turn footsteps hither, here appearing,
  10. Guide to good Venus, and the good
  11. Lover conjoining strait.
  12. What God than other Godheads more
  13. Must love-sick wights for aid implore?
  14. Whose Godhead foremost shall adore
  15. Mankind? 0 Hymenaeus Hymen,
  16. O Hymen Hymenaeus.
  17. Thee for his own the trembling sire
  18. Invokes, thee Virgins ever sue
  19. Who laps of zone to loose aspire,
  20. And thee the bashful bridegrooms woo
  21. With ears that long to hear.
  22. Thou to the hand of love-fierce swain
  23. Deliverest maiden fair and fain,
  24. From mother's fondling bosom ta'en
  25. Perforce, 0 Hymenaeus Hymen
  26. 0 Hymen Hymenaeus.
  27. Thou lacking, Venus ne'er avails—
  28. While Fame approves for honesty—
  29. Love-joys to lavish: ne'er she fails
  30. Thou willing:—with such Deity
  31. Whoe'er shall dare compare?
  32. Thou wanting, never son and heir
  33. The Hearth can bear, nor parents be
  34. By issue girt, yet can it bear,
  35. Thou willing:—with such Deity,
  36. Whoe'er shall dare compare?
  37. An lack a land thy sacring rite,
  38. The perfect rule we ne'er shall see
  39. Reach Earth's far bourne; yet such we sight,
  40. Thou willing:—with such Deity
  41. Whoe'er shall dare compare?
  42. Your folds ye gateways wide-ope swing!
  43. The maiden comes. Seest not the sheen
  44. Of links their splendent tresses fling?
  45. Let shame retard the modest mien.
  46. ---
  47. ---
  48. Who more she hears us weeps the more,
  49. That needs she must advance.
  50. Cease raining tear-drops! not for thee,
  51. Aurunculeia, risk we deem,
  52. That fairer femininety
  53. Clear day outdawned from Ocean stream
  54. Shall ever more behold.
  55. Such in the many-tinted bower
  56. Of rich man's garden passing gay
  57. Upstands the hyacinthine flower.
  58. But thou delayest, wanes the day:
  59. “Prithee, come forth new Bride.”
  60. Prithee, come forth new Bride! methinks,
  61. Drawing in sight, the talk we hold
  62. Thou haply hearest. See the Links!
  63. How shake their locks begilt with gold:
  64. Prithee, new Bride come forth.
  65. Not lightly given thy mate to ill
  66. Joys and adulterous delights
  67. Foul fleshly pleasures seeking still