Carmina

Catullus

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

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