Carmina

Catullus

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

  1. With ears that long to hear.
  2. Thou to the hand of love-fierce swain
  3. Deliverest maiden fair and fain,
  4. From mother's fondling bosom ta'en
  5. Perforce, 0 Hymenaeus Hymen
  6. 0 Hymen Hymenaeus.
  7. Thou lacking, Venus ne'er avails—
  8. While Fame approves for honesty—
  9. Love-joys to lavish: ne'er she fails
  10. Thou willing:—with such Deity
  11. Whoe'er shall dare compare?
  12. Thou wanting, never son and heir
  13. The Hearth can bear, nor parents be
  14. By issue girt, yet can it bear,
  15. Thou willing:—with such Deity,
  16. Whoe'er shall dare compare?
  17. An lack a land thy sacring rite,
  18. The perfect rule we ne'er shall see
  19. Reach Earth's far bourne; yet such we sight,
  20. Thou willing:—with such Deity
  21. Whoe'er shall dare compare?
  22. Your folds ye gateways wide-ope swing!
  23. The maiden comes. Seest not the sheen
  24. Of links their splendent tresses fling?
  25. Let shame retard the modest mien.
  26. ---
  27. ---
  28. Who more she hears us weeps the more,
  29. That needs she must advance.
  30. Cease raining tear-drops! not for thee,
  31. Aurunculeia, risk we deem,
  32. That fairer femininety
  33. Clear day outdawned from Ocean stream
  34. Shall ever more behold.
  35. Such in the many-tinted bower
  36. Of rich man's garden passing gay
  37. Upstands the hyacinthine flower.
  38. But thou delayest, wanes the day:
  39. “Prithee, come forth new Bride.”
  40. Prithee, come forth new Bride! methinks,
  41. Drawing in sight, the talk we hold
  42. Thou haply hearest. See the Links!
  43. How shake their locks begilt with gold:
  44. Prithee, new Bride come forth.
  45. Not lightly given thy mate to ill
  46. Joys and adulterous delights
  47. Foul fleshly pleasures seeking still
  48. Shall ever choose he lie o' nights
  49. Far from thy tender paps.
  50. But as with pliant shoots the vine
  51. Round nearest tree-trunk winds her way,
  52. He shall be ever twined in thine
  53. Embraces:— yet, lo! wanes the day:
  54. Prithee, come forth new Bride!
  55. Couchlet which to me and all
  56. ---
  57. With bright white bedstead foot.
  58. What joys the lord of thee betide!
  59. What love-liesse on vaguing way
  60. 0' nights! What sweets in morning tide
  61. For thee be stored! Yet wanes the day:
  62. Prithee, come forth fresh Bride!
  63. Your lighted links, 0 boys, wave high:
  64. I see the flamey veil draw nigh:
  65. Hie, sing in merry mode and cry
  66. "0 Hymen Hymenaeus io,
  67. 0 Hymen Hymenaeus!"
  68. Lest longer mute tongue stays that joys
  69. In festal jest, from Fescennine,
  70. Nor yet denay their nuts to boys,
  71. He-Concubine! who learns in fine
  72. His lordling's love is fled.