Carmina

Catullus

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

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