Carmina

Catullus

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

  1. What God than other Godheads more
  2. Must love-sick wights for aid implore?
  3. Whose Godhead foremost shall adore
  4. Mankind? 0 Hymenaeus Hymen,
  5. O Hymen Hymenaeus.
  6. Thee for his own the trembling sire
  7. Invokes, thee Virgins ever sue
  8. Who laps of zone to loose aspire,
  9. And thee the bashful bridegrooms woo
  10. With ears that long to hear.
  11. Thou to the hand of love-fierce swain
  12. Deliverest maiden fair and fain,
  13. From mother's fondling bosom ta'en
  14. Perforce, 0 Hymenaeus Hymen
  15. 0 Hymen Hymenaeus.
  16. Thou lacking, Venus ne'er avails—
  17. While Fame approves for honesty—
  18. Love-joys to lavish: ne'er she fails
  19. Thou willing:—with such Deity
  20. Whoe'er shall dare compare?
  21. Thou wanting, never son and heir
  22. The Hearth can bear, nor parents be
  23. By issue girt, yet can it bear,
  24. Thou willing:—with such Deity,
  25. Whoe'er shall dare compare?
  26. An lack a land thy sacring rite,
  27. The perfect rule we ne'er shall see
  28. Reach Earth's far bourne; yet such we sight,
  29. Thou willing:—with such Deity
  30. Whoe'er shall dare compare?
  31. Your folds ye gateways wide-ope swing!
  32. The maiden comes. Seest not the sheen
  33. Of links their splendent tresses fling?
  34. Let shame retard the modest mien.
  35. ---
  36. ---
  37. Who more she hears us weeps the more,
  38. That needs she must advance.
  39. Cease raining tear-drops! not for thee,
  40. Aurunculeia, risk we deem,
  41. That fairer femininety
  42. Clear day outdawned from Ocean stream
  43. Shall ever more behold.
  44. Such in the many-tinted bower
  45. Of rich man's garden passing gay