Carmina

Catullus

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

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