Carmina

Catullus

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

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