Carmina

Catullus

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

  1. Builded herself their car fast-flitting with lightest of breezes,
  2. Weaving plants of the pine conjoined in curve of the kelson;
  3. Foremost of all to imbue rude Amphitrite with ship-lore.
  4. Soon as her beak had burst through wind-rackt spaces of ocean,
  5. While the oar-tortured wave with spumy whiteness was blanching,
  6. Surged from the deep abyss and hoar-capped billows the faces
  7. Seaborn, Nereids eyeing the prodigy wonder-smitten.
  8. There too mortal orbs through softened spendours regarded
  9. Ocean-nymphs who exposed bodies denuded of raiment
  10. Bare to the breast upthrust from hoar froth capping the sea-depths.
  11. Then Thetis Peleus fired (men say) a-sudden with love,
  12. Then Thetis nowise spurned to mate and marry with mortal,
  13. Then Thetis' Sire himself her yoke with Peleus sanctioned.
  14. Oh, in those happier days now fondly yearned-for, you heroes
  15. Born; (all hail!) of the gods begotten, and excellent issue
  16. Bred by your mothers, all hail! and placid deal me your favour.
  17. Oft with the sound of me, in strains and spells I'll invoke you;