Carmina

Catullus

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

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