Carmina

Catullus

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

  1. The Hearth can bear, nor parents be
  2. By issue girt, yet can it bear,
  3. Thou willing:—with such Deity,
  4. Whoe'er shall dare compare?
  5. An lack a land thy sacring rite,
  6. The perfect rule we ne'er shall see
  7. Reach Earth's far bourne; yet such we sight,
  8. Thou willing:—with such Deity
  9. Whoe'er shall dare compare?
  10. Your folds ye gateways wide-ope swing!
  11. The maiden comes. Seest not the sheen
  12. Of links their splendent tresses fling?
  13. Let shame retard the modest mien.
  14. ---
  15. ---
  16. Who more she hears us weeps the more,
  17. That needs she must advance.
  18. Cease raining tear-drops! not for thee,
  19. Aurunculeia, risk we deem,
  20. That fairer femininety
  21. Clear day outdawned from Ocean stream
  22. Shall ever more behold.
  23. Such in the many-tinted bower
  24. Of rich man's garden passing gay
  25. Upstands the hyacinthine flower.
  26. But thou delayest, wanes the day:
  27. “Prithee, come forth new Bride.”
  28. Prithee, come forth new Bride! methinks,
  29. Drawing in sight, the talk we hold
  30. Thou haply hearest. See the Links!
  31. How shake their locks begilt with gold:
  32. Prithee, new Bride come forth.
  33. Not lightly given thy mate to ill
  34. Joys and adulterous delights
  35. Foul fleshly pleasures seeking still
  36. Shall ever choose he lie o' nights
  37. Far from thy tender paps.
  38. But as with pliant shoots the vine
  39. Round nearest tree-trunk winds her way,
  40. He shall be ever twined in thine
  41. Embraces:— yet, lo! wanes the day:
  42. Prithee, come forth new Bride!
  43. Couchlet which to me and all
  44. ---
  45. With bright white bedstead foot.
  46. What joys the lord of thee betide!
  47. What love-liesse on vaguing way
  48. 0' nights! What sweets in morning tide
  49. For thee be stored! Yet wanes the day:
  50. Prithee, come forth fresh Bride!
  51. Your lighted links, 0 boys, wave high:
  52. I see the flamey veil draw nigh:
  53. Hie, sing in merry mode and cry
  54. "0 Hymen Hymenaeus io,
  55. 0 Hymen Hymenaeus!"
  56. Lest longer mute tongue stays that joys
  57. In festal jest, from Fescennine,
  58. Nor yet denay their nuts to boys,
  59. He-Concubine! who learns in fine
  60. His lordling's love is fled.
  61. Throw nuts to boys thou idle all
  62. He-Concubine! wast fain full long
  63. With nuts to play: now pleased as thrall
  64. Be thou to swell Talasios' throng:
  65. He-Concubine throw nuts.
  66. Wont thou at peasant-girls to jape
  67. He-whore! Thy Lord's delight the while:
  68. Now shall hair-curling chattel scrape
  69. Thy cheeks: poor wretch, ah! poor and vile:—
  70. He-Concubine, throw nuts.
  71. 'Tis said from smooth-faced ingle train
  72. (Anointed bridegroom!) hardly fain
  73. Hast e'er refrained; now do refrain!
  74. O Hymen Hymenaeus io,
  75. O Hymen Hymenaeus!
  76. We know that naught save licit rites
  77. Be known to thee, but wedded wights
  78. No more deem lawful such delights.