Carmina

Catullus

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

  1. Which the hard mistress's yoke taught him so tamely to bear;
  2. Never was head so dear to a grandsire wasted by life-tide
  3. Whenas one daughter alone a grandson so tardy had reared,
  4. Who being found against hope to inherit riches of forbears
  5. In the well-witnessed Will haply by name did appear,
  6. And 'spite impious hopes of baffled claimant to kinship
  7. Startles the Vulturine grip clutching the frost-bitten poll.
  8. Nor with such rapture e'er joyed his mate of snowy-hued plumage
  9. Dove-mate, albeit aye wont in her immoderate heat
  10. Said be the bird to snatch hot kisses with beak ever billing,
  11. As diddest thou :—yet is Woman multivolent still.
  12. But thou 'vailedest alone all these to conquer in love-lowe,
  13. When conjoindd once more unto thy yellow-haired spouse.
  14. Worthy of yielding to her in naught or ever so little
  15. Came to the bosom of us she, the fair light of my life,
  16. Round whom fluttering oft the Love-God hither and thither
  17. Shone with a candid sheen robed in his safflower dress.
  18. She though never she bide with one Catullus contented,
  19. Yet will I bear with the rare thefts of my dame the discreet,
  20. Lest over-irk I give which still of fools is the fashion.
  21. Often did Juno eke Queen of the Heavenly host
  22. Boil wi' the rabidest rage at dire default of a husband
  23. Learning the manifold thefts of her omnivolent Jove,
  24. Yet with the Gods mankind 'tis nowise righteous to liken,
  25. ---
  26. Rid me of graceless task fit for a tremulous sire.
  27. Yet was she never to me by hand paternal committed
  28. Whenas she came to my house reeking Assyrian scents;
  29. Nay, in the darkness of night her furtive favours she deigned me,
  30. Self-willed taking herself from very mate's very breast.
  31. Wherefore I hold it enough since given to us and us only
  32. Boon of that day with Stone whiter than wont she denotes.
  33. This to thee—all that I can—this offering couched in verses
  34. (Allius!) as my return give I for service galore;
  35. So wi' the seabriny rust your name may never be sullied