Carmina

Catullus

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

  1. To hold of Phrygian goddess, home of Phrygian Cybebe,
  2. Where loud the cymbal's voice resounds with timbrel-echoes blending,
  3. And where the Phrygian piper drones grave bass from reed a-bending,
  4. Where toss their ivy-circled heads with might the Maenades
  5. Where ply mid shrilly lullilooes the holiest mysteries,
  6. Where to fly here and there be wont the she-god's vaguing train,
  7. Thither behoves us lead the dance in quick-step hasty strain."
  8. Soon as had Atys (bastard-she) this lay to comrades sung
  9. The Chorus sudden lulliloos with quivering, quavering tongue,
  10. Again the nimble timbrel groans, the scooped-out cymbals clash,
  11. And up green Ida flits the Choir, with footsteps hurrying rash