Carmina

Catullus

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

  1. Of links their splendent tresses fling?
  2. Let shame retard the modest mien.
  3. ---
  4. ---
  5. Who more she hears us weeps the more,
  6. That needs she must advance.
  7. Cease raining tear-drops! not for thee,
  8. Aurunculeia, risk we deem,
  9. That fairer femininety
  10. Clear day outdawned from Ocean stream
  11. Shall ever more behold.
  12. Such in the many-tinted bower
  13. Of rich man's garden passing gay
  14. Upstands the hyacinthine flower.
  15. But thou delayest, wanes the day:
  16. “Prithee, come forth new Bride.”
  17. Prithee, come forth new Bride! methinks,
  18. Drawing in sight, the talk we hold
  19. Thou haply hearest. See the Links!
  20. How shake their locks begilt with gold:
  21. Prithee, new Bride come forth.
  22. Not lightly given thy mate to ill
  23. Joys and adulterous delights
  24. Foul fleshly pleasures seeking still
  25. Shall ever choose he lie o' nights
  26. Far from thy tender paps.
  27. But as with pliant shoots the vine
  28. Round nearest tree-trunk winds her way,
  29. He shall be ever twined in thine
  30. Embraces:— yet, lo! wanes the day:
  31. Prithee, come forth new Bride!
  32. Couchlet which to me and all
  33. ---
  34. With bright white bedstead foot.
  35. What joys the lord of thee betide!
  36. What love-liesse on vaguing way
  37. 0' nights! What sweets in morning tide
  38. For thee be stored! Yet wanes the day:
  39. Prithee, come forth fresh Bride!
  40. Your lighted links, 0 boys, wave high:
  41. I see the flamey veil draw nigh:
  42. Hie, sing in merry mode and cry
  43. "0 Hymen Hymenaeus io,
  44. 0 Hymen Hymenaeus!"
  45. Lest longer mute tongue stays that joys
  46. In festal jest, from Fescennine,
  47. Nor yet denay their nuts to boys,
  48. He-Concubine! who learns in fine
  49. His lordling's love is fled.
  50. Throw nuts to boys thou idle all
  51. He-Concubine! wast fain full long
  52. With nuts to play: now pleased as thrall
  53. Be thou to swell Talasios' throng:
  54. He-Concubine throw nuts.
  55. Wont thou at peasant-girls to jape
  56. He-whore! Thy Lord's delight the while:
  57. Now shall hair-curling chattel scrape
  58. Thy cheeks: poor wretch, ah! poor and vile:—
  59. He-Concubine, throw nuts.
  60. 'Tis said from smooth-faced ingle train
  61. (Anointed bridegroom!) hardly fain
  62. Hast e'er refrained; now do refrain!
  63. O Hymen Hymenaeus io,
  64. O Hymen Hymenaeus!
  65. We know that naught save licit rites
  66. Be known to thee, but wedded wights
  67. No more deem lawful such delights.
  68. O Hymen Hymenaeus io,
  69. O Hymen Hymenaeus.
  70. Thou too, 0 Bride, whatever dare
  71. Thy groom, of coy rebuff beware,
  72. Lest he to find elsewhither fare.
  73. O Hymen Hymenaeus io,
  74. O Hymen Hymenaeus.
  75. Lo! here the house of high degree
  76. Thy husband's puissant home to be,
  77. Which ever shall obey thy gree.
  78. O Hymen Hymenaeus io,
  79. O Hymen Hymenaeus!
  80. Till Time betide when eld the hoar
  81. Thy head and temples trembling o'er
  82. Make nod to all things evermore.
  83. O Hymen Hymenaeus io,
  84. 0 Hymen Hymenaeus.
  85. O'erstep with omen meetest meet
  86. The threshold-stone thy golden feet
  87. Up, past the polisht panels fleet.
  88. O Hymen Hymenaeus io,
  89. O Hymen Hymerneus.
  90. Within bestrewn thy bridegroom see
  91. On couch of Tyrian cramoisy
  92. All imminent awaiting thee.
  93. O Hymen Hymenaeus io,
  94. O Hymen Hymenaeus.
  95. For in his breast not less than thine
  96. Burn high the flames that deepest shrine,
  97. Yet his the lowe far deeper lien.
  98. O Hymen Hymemeus io,
  99. O Hymen Hymenaeus.
  100. Let fall the maid's soft arms, thou fair
  101. Boy purple-hem'd: now be thy care
  102. Her bridegroom's couch she seek and share.
  103. O Hymen Hymenaeus io,
  104. 0 Hymen Hymenaeus.
  105. Ye wives time-tried to husbands wed,
  106. Well-known for chastity inbred,
  107. Dispose the virginette a-bed.
  108. O Hymen Hymenaeus io,
  109. 0 Hymen Hymenaeus.