Carmina

Catullus

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

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