Carmina

Catullus

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

  1. Nodded the Ruler of Gods Celestial, matchless of All-might,
  2. When at the gest earth-plain and horrid spaces of ocean
  3. Trembled, and every sphere rockt stars and planets resplendent.
  4. Meanwhile Theseus himself, obscured in blindness of darkness
  5. As to his mind, dismiss'd from breast oblivious all things
  6. Erewhile enjoined and held hereto in memory constant,
  7. Nor for his saddened sire the gladness-signals uphoisting
  8. Heralded safe return within sight of the Erechthean harbour.
  9. For 'twas told of yore, when from walls of the Virginal Deess
  10. Aegeus speeding his son, to the care of breezes committed,
  11. Thus with a last embrace to the youth spoke words of commandment:

  12. "Son! far nearer my heart (you alone) than life of the longest,
  13. Son, I perforce dismiss to doubtful, dangerous chances,
  14. Lately restored to me when eld draws nearest his ending,
  15. Since such fortune in me, and in you such boiling of valour
  16. Tear you away from me so loath, whose eyes in their languor
  17. Never are sated with sight of my son, all-dearest of figures.
  18. Nor will I send you forth with joy that gladdens my bosom,
  19. Nor will I suffer you show boon signs of favouring Fortune,
  20. But from my soul I'll first express an issue of sorrow,
  21. Soiling my hoary hairs with dust and ashes commingled;
  22. Then will I hang stained sails fast-made to the wavering yard-arms,
  23. So shall our mourning thought and burning torture of spirit
  24. Show by the dark sombre-dye of Iberian canvas spread.
  25. But, grant me the grace Who dwells in Sacred Itone,
  26. (And our issue to guard and ward the seats of Erechtheus
  27. Sware She) that if your right is besprent with blood of the Man-Bull,
  28. Then do you so-wise act, and stored in memory's heart-core
  29. Dwell these mandates of me, no time their traces untracing.
  30. Dip, when first shall arise our hills to gladden your eye-glance,
  31. Down from your every mast the ill-omened vestments of mourning,
  32. Then let the twisten ropes upheave the whitest of canvas,
  33. Wherewith splendid shall gleam the tallest spars of the top-mast,