Carmina

Catullus

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

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