Carmina

Catullus

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

  1. Far as the Phasis-flood and frontier-land Aeetean;
  2. Whenas the youths elect, of Argive vigour the oak-heart,
  3. Longing the Golden Fleece of the Colchis-region to harry,
  4. Dared in a poop swift-paced to span salt seas and their shallows,
  5. Sweeping the deep blue seas with sweeps a-carven of fir-wood.
  6. She, that governing Goddess of citadels crowning the cities,
  7. Builded herself their car fast-flitting with lightest of breezes,
  8. Weaving plants of the pine conjoined in curve of the kelson;
  9. Foremost of all to imbue rude Amphitrite with ship-lore.
  10. Soon as her beak had burst through wind-rackt spaces of ocean,
  11. While the oar-tortured wave with spumy whiteness was blanching,
  12. Surged from the deep abyss and hoar-capped billows the faces
  13. Seaborn, Nereids eyeing the prodigy wonder-smitten.
  14. There too mortal orbs through softened spendours regarded
  15. Ocean-nymphs who exposed bodies denuded of raiment
  16. Bare to the breast upthrust from hoar froth capping the sea-depths.
  17. Then Thetis Peleus fired (men say) a-sudden with love,
  18. Then Thetis nowise spurned to mate and marry with mortal,
  19. Then Thetis' Sire himself her yoke with Peleus sanctioned.
  20. Oh, in those happier days now fondly yearned-for, you heroes