Carmina

Catullus

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

  1. "Up Gallae, hie together, haste for Cybele's deep grove,
  2. Hie to the Dindymnean dame, ye flocks that love to rove;
  3. The which affecting stranger steads as bound in exile's brunt
  4. My sect pursuing led by me have nerved you to confront
  5. The raging surge of salty sea and ocean's tyrant hand
  6. As your hate of Venus' hest your manly forms unmann'd,
  7. Gladden your souls, ye mistresses, with sense of error bann'd.
  8. Drive from your spirits dull delay, together follow ye
  9. To hold of Phrygian goddess, home of Phrygian Cybebe,
  10. Where loud the cymbal's voice resounds with timbrel-echoes blending,
  11. And where the Phrygian piper drones grave bass from reed a-bending,
  12. Where toss their ivy-circled heads with might the Maenades
  13. Where ply mid shrilly lullilooes the holiest mysteries,
  14. Where to fly here and there be wont the she-god's vaguing train,
  15. Thither behoves us lead the dance in quick-step hasty strain."
  16. Soon as had Atys (bastard-she) this lay to comrades sung
  17. The Chorus sudden lulliloos with quivering, quavering tongue,
  18. Again the nimble timbrel groans, the scooped-out cymbals clash,
  19. And up green Ida flits the Choir, with footsteps hurrying rash
  20. Then Atys frantic, panting, raves, a-wandering, lost, insane,
  21. And leads with timbrel hent and treads the shades where shadows rain,
  22. Like heifer spurning load of yoke in yet unbroken pride;
  23. And the swift Gallae follow fain their first and fleet-foot guide.
  24. But when the home of Cybele they make with toil out-worn
  25. O'er much, they lay them down to sleep and gifts of Ceres scorn;
  26. Till heavy slumbers seal their eyelids langourous, drooping lowly,
  27. And raving frenzy flies each brain departing softly, slowly.
  28. But when Dan Sol with radiant eyes that fire his face of gold
  29. Surveyed white aether and solid soil and waters uncontrol'd,
  30. And chased with steeds sonorous-hooved the shades of lingering night,
  31. Then sleep from waking Atys fled fleeting with sudden flight,