Carmina

Catullus

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

  1. Which Hamadryad deity
  2. As toy for joyance aye befed
  3. With humour of the dew.
  4. Then hither come thou, hieing lief,
  5. Awhile to leave th' Aonian cave,
  6. Where 'neath the rocky Thespian cliff
  7. Nymph Aganippe loves to lave
  8. In cooly waves outpoured.
  9. And call the house-bride, homewards bring
  10. Maid yearning for new married fere,
  11. Her mind with fondness manacling,
  12. As the tough ivy here and there
  13. Errant the tree enwinds.
  14. And likewise ye, clean virginal
  15. Maidens, to whom shall haps befall
  16. Like day, in measure join ye all
  17. Singing, 0 Hymenaeus Hymen,
  18. 0 Hymen Hymenaeus.
  19. That with more will-full will a-hearing
  20. The call to office due, he would
  21. Turn footsteps hither, here appearing,
  22. Guide to good Venus, and the good
  23. Lover conjoining strait.
  24. What God than other Godheads more
  25. Must love-sick wights for aid implore?
  26. Whose Godhead foremost shall adore
  27. Mankind? 0 Hymenaeus Hymen,
  28. O Hymen Hymenaeus.
  29. Thee for his own the trembling sire
  30. Invokes, thee Virgins ever sue
  31. Who laps of zone to loose aspire,
  32. And thee the bashful bridegrooms woo
  33. With ears that long to hear.
  34. Thou to the hand of love-fierce swain
  35. Deliverest maiden fair and fain,
  36. From mother's fondling bosom ta'en
  37. Perforce, 0 Hymenaeus Hymen
  38. 0 Hymen Hymenaeus.
  39. Thou lacking, Venus ne'er avails—
  40. While Fame approves for honesty—
  41. Love-joys to lavish: ne'er she fails
  42. Thou willing:—with such Deity
  43. Whoe'er shall dare compare?
  44. Thou wanting, never son and heir
  45. The Hearth can bear, nor parents be
  46. By issue girt, yet can it bear,
  47. Thou willing:—with such Deity,
  48. Whoe'er shall dare compare?
  49. An lack a land thy sacring rite,
  50. The perfect rule we ne'er shall see
  51. Reach Earth's far bourne; yet such we sight,
  52. Thou willing:—with such Deity
  53. Whoe'er shall dare compare?
  54. Your folds ye gateways wide-ope swing!
  55. The maiden comes. Seest not the sheen
  56. Of links their splendent tresses fling?
  57. Let shame retard the modest mien.
  58. ---
  59. ---
  60. Who more she hears us weeps the more,
  61. That needs she must advance.
  62. Cease raining tear-drops! not for thee,
  63. Aurunculeia, risk we deem,
  64. That fairer femininety
  65. Clear day outdawned from Ocean stream
  66. Shall ever more behold.
  67. Such in the many-tinted bower
  68. Of rich man's garden passing gay
  69. Upstands the hyacinthine flower.
  70. But thou delayest, wanes the day:
  71. “Prithee, come forth new Bride.”
  72. Prithee, come forth new Bride! methinks,
  73. Drawing in sight, the talk we hold
  74. Thou haply hearest. See the Links!
  75. How shake their locks begilt with gold:
  76. Prithee, new Bride come forth.
  77. Not lightly given thy mate to ill
  78. Joys and adulterous delights
  79. Foul fleshly pleasures seeking still
  80. Shall ever choose he lie o' nights
  81. Far from thy tender paps.
  82. But as with pliant shoots the vine
  83. Round nearest tree-trunk winds her way,
  84. He shall be ever twined in thine
  85. Embraces:— yet, lo! wanes the day:
  86. Prithee, come forth new Bride!
  87. Couchlet which to me and all
  88. ---
  89. With bright white bedstead foot.
  90. What joys the lord of thee betide!
  91. What love-liesse on vaguing way
  92. 0' nights! What sweets in morning tide
  93. For thee be stored! Yet wanes the day:
  94. Prithee, come forth fresh Bride!
  95. Your lighted links, 0 boys, wave high:
  96. I see the flamey veil draw nigh:
  97. Hie, sing in merry mode and cry
  98. "0 Hymen Hymenaeus io,
  99. 0 Hymen Hymenaeus!"
  100. Lest longer mute tongue stays that joys
  101. In festal jest, from Fescennine,
  102. Nor yet denay their nuts to boys,
  103. He-Concubine! who learns in fine
  104. His lordling's love is fled.
  105. Throw nuts to boys thou idle all
  106. He-Concubine! wast fain full long
  107. With nuts to play: now pleased as thrall
  108. Be thou to swell Talasios' throng:
  109. He-Concubine throw nuts.
  110. Wont thou at peasant-girls to jape
  111. He-whore! Thy Lord's delight the while:
  112. Now shall hair-curling chattel scrape
  113. Thy cheeks: poor wretch, ah! poor and vile:—
  114. He-Concubine, throw nuts.
  115. 'Tis said from smooth-faced ingle train
  116. (Anointed bridegroom!) hardly fain
  117. Hast e'er refrained; now do refrain!
  118. O Hymen Hymenaeus io,
  119. O Hymen Hymenaeus!
  120. We know that naught save licit rites
  121. Be known to thee, but wedded wights
  122. No more deem lawful such delights.
  123. O Hymen Hymenaeus io,
  124. O Hymen Hymenaeus.
  125. Thou too, 0 Bride, whatever dare
  126. Thy groom, of coy rebuff beware,
  127. Lest he to find elsewhither fare.
  128. O Hymen Hymenaeus io,
  129. O Hymen Hymenaeus.
  130. Lo! here the house of high degree
  131. Thy husband's puissant home to be,
  132. Which ever shall obey thy gree.
  133. O Hymen Hymenaeus io,
  134. O Hymen Hymenaeus!
  135. Till Time betide when eld the hoar
  136. Thy head and temples trembling o'er
  137. Make nod to all things evermore.
  138. O Hymen Hymenaeus io,
  139. 0 Hymen Hymenaeus.
  140. O'erstep with omen meetest meet
  141. The threshold-stone thy golden feet
  142. Up, past the polisht panels fleet.
  143. O Hymen Hymenaeus io,
  144. O Hymen Hymerneus.
  145. Within bestrewn thy bridegroom see
  146. On couch of Tyrian cramoisy
  147. All imminent awaiting thee.
  148. O Hymen Hymenaeus io,
  149. O Hymen Hymenaeus.
  150. For in his breast not less than thine
  151. Burn high the flames that deepest shrine,
  152. Yet his the lowe far deeper lien.
  153. O Hymen Hymemeus io,
  154. O Hymen Hymenaeus.
  155. Let fall the maid's soft arms, thou fair
  156. Boy purple-hem'd: now be thy care
  157. Her bridegroom's couch she seek and share.
  158. O Hymen Hymenaeus io,
  159. 0 Hymen Hymenaeus.