Carmina

Catullus

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

  1. And thee the bashful bridegrooms woo
  2. With ears that long to hear.
  3. Thou to the hand of love-fierce swain
  4. Deliverest maiden fair and fain,
  5. From mother's fondling bosom ta'en
  6. Perforce, 0 Hymenaeus Hymen
  7. 0 Hymen Hymenaeus.
  8. Thou lacking, Venus ne'er avails—
  9. While Fame approves for honesty—
  10. Love-joys to lavish: ne'er she fails
  11. Thou willing:—with such Deity
  12. Whoe'er shall dare compare?
  13. Thou wanting, never son and heir
  14. The Hearth can bear, nor parents be
  15. By issue girt, yet can it bear,
  16. Thou willing:—with such Deity,
  17. Whoe'er shall dare compare?
  18. An lack a land thy sacring rite,
  19. The perfect rule we ne'er shall see
  20. Reach Earth's far bourne; yet such we sight,
  21. Thou willing:—with such Deity
  22. Whoe'er shall dare compare?
  23. Your folds ye gateways wide-ope swing!
  24. The maiden comes. Seest not the sheen
  25. Of links their splendent tresses fling?
  26. Let shame retard the modest mien.
  27. ---
  28. ---
  29. Who more she hears us weeps the more,
  30. That needs she must advance.
  31. Cease raining tear-drops! not for thee,
  32. Aurunculeia, risk we deem,
  33. That fairer femininety