Carmina

Catullus

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

  1. But for what cause should I, from early subject digressing,
  2. Tell of the daughter who the face of her sire unseeing,
  3. Eke her sister's embrace nor less her mother's endearments,
  4. Who in despair bewept her hapless child that so gladly
  5. Chose before every and each the lively wooing of Theseus?
  6. Or how borne by the ship to the yeasting shore-line of Dia
  7. Came she? or how when bound her eyes in bondage of slumber
  8. Left her that chosen mate with mind unmindful departing?
  9. Often (they tell) with heart inflamed by fiery fury
  10. Poured she shrilling of shrieks from deepest depths of her bosom;
  11. Now she would sadly scale the broken faces of mountains,
  12. Whence she might overglance the boundless boiling of billows,
  13. Then she would rush to bestem the salt-plain's quivering wavelet
  14. And from her ankles bare the dainty garment uplifting,
  15. Spoke she these words ('tis said) from sorrow's deepest abysses,
  16. While from her tear-drencht face outburst cold shivering sobs.
  17. "Thus from my patrial shore, O traitor, hurried to exile,
  18. Me on a lonely strand hast left, perfidious Theseus?
  19. Thus wise farest, despite the godhead of Deities spurned,
  20. (Reckless, alas!) to your home convoying perjury-curses?
  21. Naught, then, ever availed that mind of cruelest counsel
  22. Alter? No saving grace in you was evermore ready,
  23. That to have pity on me vouchsafed your pitiless bosom?
  24. Nevertheless not in past time such were the promises wordy
  25. Lavished; nor such hopes to me the hapless were bidden;
  26. But the glad married joys, the longed-for pleasures of wedlock.
  27. All now empty and vain, by breath of the breezes bescattered!
  28. Now, let woman no more trust her to man when he sweareth,
  29. Ne'er let her hope to find or truth or faith in his pleadings,
  30. Who when lustful thought forelooks to somewhat attaining,
  31. Never an oath they fear, shall spare no promise to promise.
  32. Yet no sooner they sate all lewdness and lecherous fancy,
  33. Nothing remember of words and reck they naught of fore-swearing.
  34. Certes, you did I snatch from midmost whirlpool of ruin
  35. Deadly, and held it cheap loss of a brother to suffer
  36. Rather than fail your need (O false!) at hour the supremest.
  37. Therefore my limbs are doomed to be torn of birds, and of ferals
  38. Prey, nor shall upheapt Earth afford a grave to my body.
  39. Say me, what lioness bare you 'neath lone rock of the desert?
  40. What sea spued you conceived from out the spume of his surges!
  41. What manner Syrt, what ravening Scylla, what vasty Charybdis?
  42. you who for sweet life saved such meeds are lief of returning!
  43. If never willed your breast with me to mate you in marriage,
  44. Hating the savage law decreed by primitive parent,
  45. Still of your competence 'twas within your household to home me,
  46. Where I might serve as slave in gladsome service familiar,
  47. Laving your snow-white feet in clearest chrystalline waters
  48. Or with its purpling gear your couch in company strewing.
  49. Yet for what cause should I complain in vain to the winds that unknow me,
  50. (I so beside me with grief!) which ne'er of senses endued
  51. Hear not the words sent forth nor aught avail they to answer?
  52. Now be his course well-nigh engaged in midway of ocean,
  53. Nor any mortal shape appears in barrens of sea-wrack.
  54. Thus at the latest hour with insults over-sufficient
  55. E'en to my plaints fere Fate begrudges ears that would hear me.