Carmina

Catullus

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

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