Carmina

Catullus

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

  1. Singing, 0 Hymenaeus Hymen,
  2. 0 Hymen Hymenaeus.
  3. That with more will-full will a-hearing
  4. The call to office due, he would
  5. Turn footsteps hither, here appearing,
  6. Guide to good Venus, and the good
  7. Lover conjoining strait.
  8. What God than other Godheads more
  9. Must love-sick wights for aid implore?
  10. Whose Godhead foremost shall adore
  11. Mankind? 0 Hymenaeus Hymen,
  12. O Hymen Hymenaeus.
  13. Thee for his own the trembling sire
  14. Invokes, thee Virgins ever sue
  15. Who laps of zone to loose aspire,
  16. And thee the bashful bridegrooms woo
  17. With ears that long to hear.
  18. Thou to the hand of love-fierce swain
  19. Deliverest maiden fair and fain,
  20. From mother's fondling bosom ta'en
  21. Perforce, 0 Hymenaeus Hymen
  22. 0 Hymen Hymenaeus.
  23. Thou lacking, Venus ne'er avails—
  24. While Fame approves for honesty—
  25. Love-joys to lavish: ne'er she fails
  26. Thou willing:—with such Deity
  27. Whoe'er shall dare compare?
  28. Thou wanting, never son and heir
  29. The Hearth can bear, nor parents be
  30. By issue girt, yet can it bear,
  31. Thou willing:—with such Deity,
  32. Whoe'er shall dare compare?
  33. An lack a land thy sacring rite,
  34. The perfect rule we ne'er shall see
  35. Reach Earth's far bourne; yet such we sight,
  36. Thou willing:—with such Deity
  37. Whoe'er shall dare compare?
  38. Your folds ye gateways wide-ope swing!
  39. The maiden comes. Seest not the sheen
  40. Of links their splendent tresses fling?
  41. Let shame retard the modest mien.
  42. ---
  43. ---
  44. Who more she hears us weeps the more,
  45. That needs she must advance.
  46. Cease raining tear-drops! not for thee,
  47. Aurunculeia, risk we deem,
  48. That fairer femininety
  49. Clear day outdawned from Ocean stream
  50. Shall ever more behold.
  51. Such in the many-tinted bower
  52. Of rich man's garden passing gay
  53. Upstands the hyacinthine flower.
  54. But thou delayest, wanes the day:
  55. “Prithee, come forth new Bride.”
  56. Prithee, come forth new Bride! methinks,
  57. Drawing in sight, the talk we hold
  58. Thou haply hearest. See the Links!
  59. How shake their locks begilt with gold:
  60. Prithee, new Bride come forth.
  61. Not lightly given thy mate to ill
  62. Joys and adulterous delights
  63. Foul fleshly pleasures seeking still
  64. Shall ever choose he lie o' nights
  65. Far from thy tender paps.
  66. But as with pliant shoots the vine
  67. Round nearest tree-trunk winds her way,
  68. He shall be ever twined in thine
  69. Embraces:— yet, lo! wanes the day:
  70. Prithee, come forth new Bride!
  71. Couchlet which to me and all
  72. ---
  73. With bright white bedstead foot.
  74. What joys the lord of thee betide!
  75. What love-liesse on vaguing way
  76. 0' nights! What sweets in morning tide
  77. For thee be stored! Yet wanes the day:
  78. Prithee, come forth fresh Bride!
  79. Your lighted links, 0 boys, wave high:
  80. I see the flamey veil draw nigh:
  81. Hie, sing in merry mode and cry
  82. "0 Hymen Hymenaeus io,
  83. 0 Hymen Hymenaeus!"
  84. Lest longer mute tongue stays that joys
  85. In festal jest, from Fescennine,