Carmina

Catullus

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

  1. "Evoe" frenzying loud, with heads at "Evoe" rolling.
  2. Brandisht some of the maids their thyrsi sheathed of spear-point,
  3. Some snatcht limbs and joints of sturlings rended to pieces,
  4. These girt necks and waists with writhing bodies of vipers,
  5. Those with the gear enwombed in crates dark orgies ordained—
  6. Orgies that ears profane must vainly lust for o'er hearing—
  7. Others with palms on high smote hurried strokes on the cymbal,
  8. Or from the polisht brass woke thin-toned tinkling music,
  9. While from the many there boomed and blared hoarse blast of the horn-trump,
  10. And with its horrid skirl loud shrilled the barbarous bag-pipe
  11. Showing such varied forms, that richly-decorated couch-cloth
  12. Folded in strait embrace the bedding drapery-veiled.
  13. This when the Thessalan youths had eyed with eager inspection
  14. Fulfilled, place they began to provide for venerate Godheads,
  15. Even as Zephyrus' breath, seas couching placid at dawn-tide,
  16. Roughens, then stings and spurs the wavelets slantingly fretted—
  17. Rising Aurora the while 'neath Sol the wanderer's threshold—
  18. Tardy at first they flow by the clement breathing of breezes
  19. Urged, and echo the shores with soft-toned ripples of laughter,
  20. But as the winds wax high so waves wax higher and higher,