Carmina

Catullus

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

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