Carmina

Catullus

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

  1. Brandisht some of the maids their thyrsi sheathed of spear-point,
  2. Some snatcht limbs and joints of sturlings rended to pieces,
  3. These girt necks and waists with writhing bodies of vipers,
  4. Those with the gear enwombed in crates dark orgies ordained—
  5. Orgies that ears profane must vainly lust for o'er hearing—
  6. Others with palms on high smote hurried strokes on the cymbal,
  7. Or from the polisht brass woke thin-toned tinkling music,
  8. While from the many there boomed and blared hoarse blast of the horn-trump,
  9. And with its horrid skirl loud shrilled the barbarous bag-pipe
  10. Showing such varied forms, that richly-decorated couch-cloth
  11. Folded in strait embrace the bedding drapery-veiled.
  12. This when the Thessalan youths had eyed with eager inspection
  13. Fulfilled, place they began to provide for venerate Godheads,
  14. Even as Zephyrus' breath, seas couching placid at dawn-tide,