Carmina

Catullus

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

  1. Some snatcht limbs and joints of sturlings rended to pieces,
  2. These girt necks and waists with writhing bodies of vipers,
  3. Those with the gear enwombed in crates dark orgies ordained—
  4. Orgies that ears profane must vainly lust for o'er hearing—
  5. Others with palms on high smote hurried strokes on the cymbal,
  6. Or from the polisht brass woke thin-toned tinkling music,
  7. While from the many there boomed and blared hoarse blast of the horn-trump,
  8. And with its horrid skirl loud shrilled the barbarous bag-pipe
  9. Showing such varied forms, that richly-decorated couch-cloth
  10. Folded in strait embrace the bedding drapery-veiled.
  11. This when the Thessalan youths had eyed with eager inspection
  12. Fulfilled, place they began to provide for venerate Godheads,
  13. Even as Zephyrus' breath, seas couching placid at dawn-tide,
  14. Roughens, then stings and spurs the wavelets slantingly fretted—
  15. Rising Aurora the while 'neath Sol the wanderer's threshold—
  16. Tardy at first they flow by the clement breathing of breezes
  17. Urged, and echo the shores with soft-toned ripples of laughter,
  18. But as the winds wax high so waves wax higher and higher,
  19. Flashing and floating afar to outswim morn's purpurine splendours,—
  20. So did the crowd fare forth, the royal vestibule leaving,
  21. And to their house each wight with vaguing paces departed.
  22. After their wending, the first, foremost from Pelion's summit,
  23. Chiron came to the front with woodland presents surcharged:
  24. Whatso of blooms and flowers bring forth Thessalian uplands
  25. Mighty with mountain crests, whate'er of riverine lea flowers