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. About thy temples bind the bloom,
  3. Of Marjoram flow'ret scented sweet;
  4. Take flamey veil: glad hither come
  5. Come hither borne by snow-hue'd feet
  6. Wearing the saffron'd sock.
  7. And, roused by day of joyful cheer,
  8. Carolling nuptial lays and chaunts
  9. With voice as silver ringing clear,
  10. Beat ground with feet, while brandisht flaunts
  11. Thy hand the piney torch.
  12. For Vinia comes by Manlius woo'd,
  13. As Venus on th' Idalian crest,
  14. Before the Phrygian judge she stood
  15. And now with blessed omens blest,
  16. The maid is here to wed.
  17. A maiden shining bright of blee,
  18. As Myrtle branchlet Asia bred,
  19. Which Hamadryad deity
  20. As toy for joyance aye befed
  21. With humour of the dew.
  22. Then hither come thou, hieing lief,
  23. Awhile to leave th' Aonian cave,
  24. Where 'neath the rocky Thespian cliff
  25. Nymph Aganippe loves to lave
  26. In cooly waves outpoured.
  27. And call the house-bride, homewards bring
  28. Maid yearning for new married fere,
  29. Her mind with fondness manacling,
  30. As the tough ivy here and there
  31. Errant the tree enwinds.
  32. And likewise ye, clean virginal
  33. Maidens, to whom shall haps befall
  34. Like day, in measure join ye all
  35. Singing, 0 Hymenaeus Hymen,
  36. 0 Hymen Hymenaeus.
  37. That with more will-full will a-hearing
  38. The call to office due, he would
  39. Turn footsteps hither, here appearing,
  40. Guide to good Venus, and the good
  41. Lover conjoining strait.
  42. What God than other Godheads more
  43. Must love-sick wights for aid implore?
  44. Whose Godhead foremost shall adore
  45. Mankind? 0 Hymenaeus Hymen,
  46. O Hymen Hymenaeus.
  47. Thee for his own the trembling sire
  48. Invokes, thee Virgins ever sue
  49. Who laps of zone to loose aspire,
  50. And thee the bashful bridegrooms woo
  51. With ears that long to hear.
  52. Thou to the hand of love-fierce swain
  53. Deliverest maiden fair and fain,
  54. From mother's fondling bosom ta'en
  55. Perforce, 0 Hymenaeus Hymen
  56. 0 Hymen Hymenaeus.
  57. Thou lacking, Venus ne'er avails—
  58. While Fame approves for honesty—
  59. Love-joys to lavish: ne'er she fails
  60. Thou willing:—with such Deity
  61. Whoe'er shall dare compare?
  62. Thou wanting, never son and heir
  63. The Hearth can bear, nor parents be
  64. By issue girt, yet can it bear,
  65. Thou willing:—with such Deity,
  66. Whoe'er shall dare compare?
  67. An lack a land thy sacring rite,
  68. The perfect rule we ne'er shall see
  69. Reach Earth's far bourne; yet such we sight,
  70. Thou willing:—with such Deity
  71. Whoe'er shall dare compare?
  72. Your folds ye gateways wide-ope swing!
  73. The maiden comes. Seest not the sheen
  74. Of links their splendent tresses fling?
  75. Let shame retard the modest mien.
  76. ---
  77. ---
  78. Who more she hears us weeps the more,
  79. That needs she must advance.
  80. Cease raining tear-drops! not for thee,
  81. Aurunculeia, risk we deem,
  82. That fairer femininety
  83. Clear day outdawned from Ocean stream
  84. Shall ever more behold.
  85. Such in the many-tinted bower
  86. Of rich man's garden passing gay
  87. Upstands the hyacinthine flower.
  88. But thou delayest, wanes the day:
  89. “Prithee, come forth new Bride.”
  90. Prithee, come forth new Bride! methinks,
  91. Drawing in sight, the talk we hold
  92. Thou haply hearest. See the Links!
  93. How shake their locks begilt with gold:
  94. Prithee, new Bride come forth.
  95. Not lightly given thy mate to ill
  96. Joys and adulterous delights
  97. Foul fleshly pleasures seeking still
  98. Shall ever choose he lie o' nights
  99. Far from thy tender paps.
  100. But as with pliant shoots the vine
  101. Round nearest tree-trunk winds her way,
  102. He shall be ever twined in thine
  103. Embraces:— yet, lo! wanes the day:
  104. Prithee, come forth new Bride!
  105. Couchlet which to me and all
  106. ---
  107. With bright white bedstead foot.
  108. What joys the lord of thee betide!
  109. What love-liesse on vaguing way
  110. 0' nights! What sweets in morning tide
  111. For thee be stored! Yet wanes the day:
  112. Prithee, come forth fresh Bride!
  113. Your lighted links, 0 boys, wave high:
  114. I see the flamey veil draw nigh:
  115. Hie, sing in merry mode and cry
  116. "0 Hymen Hymenaeus io,
  117. 0 Hymen Hymenaeus!"
  118. Lest longer mute tongue stays that joys
  119. In festal jest, from Fescennine,
  120. Nor yet denay their nuts to boys,
  121. He-Concubine! who learns in fine
  122. His lordling's love is fled.
  123. Throw nuts to boys thou idle all
  124. He-Concubine! wast fain full long
  125. With nuts to play: now pleased as thrall
  126. Be thou to swell Talasios' throng:
  127. He-Concubine throw nuts.
  128. Wont thou at peasant-girls to jape
  129. He-whore! Thy Lord's delight the while:
  130. Now shall hair-curling chattel scrape
  131. Thy cheeks: poor wretch, ah! poor and vile:—
  132. He-Concubine, throw nuts.
  133. 'Tis said from smooth-faced ingle train
  134. (Anointed bridegroom!) hardly fain
  135. Hast e'er refrained; now do refrain!
  136. O Hymen Hymenaeus io,
  137. O Hymen Hymenaeus!
  138. We know that naught save licit rites
  139. Be known to thee, but wedded wights
  140. No more deem lawful such delights.
  141. O Hymen Hymenaeus io,
  142. O Hymen Hymenaeus.
  143. Thou too, 0 Bride, whatever dare
  144. Thy groom, of coy rebuff beware,
  145. Lest he to find elsewhither fare.
  146. O Hymen Hymenaeus io,
  147. O Hymen Hymenaeus.
  148. Lo! here the house of high degree
  149. Thy husband's puissant home to be,
  150. Which ever shall obey thy gree.
  151. O Hymen Hymenaeus io,
  152. O Hymen Hymenaeus!
  153. Till Time betide when eld the hoar