Carmina

Catullus

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

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