Carmina

Catullus

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

  1. Then unto every God on behalf of thy helpmate, thy sweeting,
  2. Me thou gayest in vow, not without bloodshed of bulls,
  3. If he be granted return, and long while nowise delaying,
  4. Captive Asia he add unto Egyptian bounds.
  5. Now for such causes I, enrolled in host of the Heavens,
  6. By a new present, discharge promise thou madest of old:
  7. Maugrè my will, 0 Queen, my place on thy head I relinquished,
  8. Maugrè my will, I attest, swearing by thee and thy head;
  9. Penalty due shall befall whoso makes oath to no purpose.
  10. Yet who assumes the vaunt forceful as iron to be?
  11. E'en was that mount o'erthrown, though greatest in universe, where through
  12. Thía's illustrious race speeded its voyage to end,
  13. Whenas the Medes brought forth new sea, and barbarous youth-hood