Carmina

Catullus

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

  1. Whenas one daughter alone a grandson so tardy had reared,
  2. Who being found against hope to inherit riches of forbears
  3. In the well-witnessed Will haply by name did appear,
  4. And 'spite impious hopes of baffled claimant to kinship
  5. Startles the Vulturine grip clutching the frost-bitten poll.
  6. Nor with such rapture e'er joyed his mate of snowy-hued plumage
  7. Dove-mate, albeit aye wont in her immoderate heat
  8. Said be the bird to snatch hot kisses with beak ever billing,
  9. As diddest thou :—yet is Woman multivolent still.
  10. But thou 'vailedest alone all these to conquer in love-lowe,
  11. When conjoindd once more unto thy yellow-haired spouse.
  12. Worthy of yielding to her in naught or ever so little
  13. Came to the bosom of us she, the fair light of my life,
  14. Round whom fluttering oft the Love-God hither and thither
  15. Shone with a candid sheen robed in his safflower dress.
  16. She though never she bide with one Catullus contented,
  17. Yet will I bear with the rare thefts of my dame the discreet,