Carmina

Catullus

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

  1. Whoe'er shall dare compare?
  2. An lack a land thy sacring rite,
  3. The perfect rule we ne'er shall see
  4. Reach Earth's far bourne; yet such we sight,
  5. Thou willing:—with such Deity
  6. Whoe'er shall dare compare?
  7. Your folds ye gateways wide-ope swing!
  8. The maiden comes. Seest not the sheen
  9. Of links their splendent tresses fling?
  10. Let shame retard the modest mien.
  11. ---
  12. ---
  13. Who more she hears us weeps the more,
  14. That needs she must advance.
  15. Cease raining tear-drops! not for thee,
  16. Aurunculeia, risk we deem,
  17. That fairer femininety
  18. Clear day outdawned from Ocean stream
  19. Shall ever more behold.
  20. Such in the many-tinted bower
  21. Of rich man's garden passing gay
  22. Upstands the hyacinthine flower.
  23. But thou delayest, wanes the day:
  24. “Prithee, come forth new Bride.”
  25. Prithee, come forth new Bride! methinks,
  26. Drawing in sight, the talk we hold
  27. Thou haply hearest. See the Links!
  28. How shake their locks begilt with gold:
  29. Prithee, new Bride come forth.
  30. Not lightly given thy mate to ill
  31. Joys and adulterous delights
  32. Foul fleshly pleasures seeking still
  33. Shall ever choose he lie o' nights
  34. Far from thy tender paps.
  35. But as with pliant shoots the vine
  36. Round nearest tree-trunk winds her way,
  37. He shall be ever twined in thine
  38. Embraces:— yet, lo! wanes the day:
  39. Prithee, come forth new Bride!
  40. Couchlet which to me and all
  41. ---
  42. With bright white bedstead foot.
  43. What joys the lord of thee betide!
  44. What love-liesse on vaguing way
  45. 0' nights! What sweets in morning tide
  46. For thee be stored! Yet wanes the day:
  47. Prithee, come forth fresh Bride!
  48. Your lighted links, 0 boys, wave high:
  49. I see the flamey veil draw nigh:
  50. Hie, sing in merry mode and cry
  51. "0 Hymen Hymenaeus io,
  52. 0 Hymen Hymenaeus!"
  53. Lest longer mute tongue stays that joys
  54. In festal jest, from Fescennine,
  55. Nor yet denay their nuts to boys,
  56. He-Concubine! who learns in fine
  57. His lordling's love is fled.
  58. Throw nuts to boys thou idle all
  59. He-Concubine! wast fain full long
  60. With nuts to play: now pleased as thrall
  61. Be thou to swell Talasios' throng:
  62. He-Concubine throw nuts.
  63. Wont thou at peasant-girls to jape
  64. He-whore! Thy Lord's delight the while:
  65. Now shall hair-curling chattel scrape
  66. Thy cheeks: poor wretch, ah! poor and vile:—
  67. He-Concubine, throw nuts.
  68. 'Tis said from smooth-faced ingle train
  69. (Anointed bridegroom!) hardly fain
  70. Hast e'er refrained; now do refrain!
  71. O Hymen Hymenaeus io,
  72. O Hymen Hymenaeus!
  73. We know that naught save licit rites
  74. Be known to thee, but wedded wights
  75. No more deem lawful such delights.
  76. O Hymen Hymenaeus io,
  77. O Hymen Hymenaeus.
  78. Thou too, 0 Bride, whatever dare
  79. Thy groom, of coy rebuff beware,
  80. Lest he to find elsewhither fare.
  81. O Hymen Hymenaeus io,
  82. O Hymen Hymenaeus.
  83. Lo! here the house of high degree
  84. Thy husband's puissant home to be,
  85. Which ever shall obey thy gree.
  86. O Hymen Hymenaeus io,
  87. O Hymen Hymenaeus!
  88. Till Time betide when eld the hoar
  89. Thy head and temples trembling o'er