Carmina

Catullus

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

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