Carmina

Catullus

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

  1. As toy for joyance aye befed
  2. With humour of the dew.
  3. Then hither come thou, hieing lief,
  4. Awhile to leave th' Aonian cave,
  5. Where 'neath the rocky Thespian cliff
  6. Nymph Aganippe loves to lave
  7. In cooly waves outpoured.
  8. And call the house-bride, homewards bring
  9. Maid yearning for new married fere,
  10. Her mind with fondness manacling,
  11. As the tough ivy here and there
  12. Errant the tree enwinds.
  13. And likewise ye, clean virginal
  14. Maidens, to whom shall haps befall
  15. Like day, in measure join ye all
  16. Singing, 0 Hymenaeus Hymen,
  17. 0 Hymen Hymenaeus.
  18. That with more will-full will a-hearing
  19. The call to office due, he would
  20. Turn footsteps hither, here appearing,
  21. Guide to good Venus, and the good
  22. Lover conjoining strait.
  23. What God than other Godheads more
  24. Must love-sick wights for aid implore?
  25. Whose Godhead foremost shall adore
  26. Mankind? 0 Hymenaeus Hymen,
  27. O Hymen Hymenaeus.
  28. Thee for his own the trembling sire
  29. Invokes, thee Virgins ever sue
  30. Who laps of zone to loose aspire,
  31. And thee the bashful bridegrooms woo
  32. With ears that long to hear.
  33. Thou to the hand of love-fierce swain
  34. Deliverest maiden fair and fain,
  35. From mother's fondling bosom ta'en
  36. Perforce, 0 Hymenaeus Hymen
  37. 0 Hymen Hymenaeus.
  38. Thou lacking, Venus ne'er avails—
  39. While Fame approves for honesty—
  40. Love-joys to lavish: ne'er she fails
  41. Thou willing:—with such Deity
  42. Whoe'er shall dare compare?
  43. Thou wanting, never son and heir
  44. The Hearth can bear, nor parents be
  45. By issue girt, yet can it bear,
  46. Thou willing:—with such Deity,
  47. Whoe'er shall dare compare?
  48. An lack a land thy sacring rite,
  49. The perfect rule we ne'er shall see
  50. Reach Earth's far bourne; yet such we sight,
  51. Thou willing:—with such Deity
  52. Whoe'er shall dare compare?
  53. Your folds ye gateways wide-ope swing!
  54. The maiden comes. Seest not the sheen
  55. Of links their splendent tresses fling?
  56. Let shame retard the modest mien.
  57. ---
  58. ---
  59. Who more she hears us weeps the more,
  60. That needs she must advance.
  61. Cease raining tear-drops! not for thee,
  62. Aurunculeia, risk we deem,
  63. That fairer femininety
  64. Clear day outdawned from Ocean stream
  65. Shall ever more behold.
  66. Such in the many-tinted bower
  67. Of rich man's garden passing gay
  68. Upstands the hyacinthine flower.
  69. But thou delayest, wanes the day:
  70. “Prithee, come forth new Bride.”
  71. Prithee, come forth new Bride! methinks,
  72. Drawing in sight, the talk we hold
  73. Thou haply hearest. See the Links!
  74. How shake their locks begilt with gold:
  75. Prithee, new Bride come forth.
  76. Not lightly given thy mate to ill
  77. Joys and adulterous delights
  78. Foul fleshly pleasures seeking still
  79. Shall ever choose he lie o' nights
  80. Far from thy tender paps.
  81. But as with pliant shoots the vine
  82. Round nearest tree-trunk winds her way,
  83. He shall be ever twined in thine
  84. Embraces:— yet, lo! wanes the day:
  85. Prithee, come forth new Bride!
  86. Couchlet which to me and all
  87. ---
  88. With bright white bedstead foot.
  89. What joys the lord of thee betide!
  90. What love-liesse on vaguing way
  91. 0' nights! What sweets in morning tide
  92. For thee be stored! Yet wanes the day:
  93. Prithee, come forth fresh Bride!
  94. Your lighted links, 0 boys, wave high:
  95. I see the flamey veil draw nigh:
  96. Hie, sing in merry mode and cry
  97. "0 Hymen Hymenaeus io,
  98. 0 Hymen Hymenaeus!"
  99. Lest longer mute tongue stays that joys
  100. In festal jest, from Fescennine,
  101. Nor yet denay their nuts to boys,
  102. He-Concubine! who learns in fine
  103. His lordling's love is fled.
  104. Throw nuts to boys thou idle all
  105. He-Concubine! wast fain full long
  106. With nuts to play: now pleased as thrall
  107. Be thou to swell Talasios' throng:
  108. He-Concubine throw nuts.
  109. Wont thou at peasant-girls to jape
  110. He-whore! Thy Lord's delight the while:
  111. Now shall hair-curling chattel scrape
  112. Thy cheeks: poor wretch, ah! poor and vile:—
  113. He-Concubine, throw nuts.