Carmina
Catullus
Catullus, Gaius Valerius. The Carmina of Caius Valerius Catullus. Burton, Sir Richard Francis, translator. London, Printed for the Translators, 1894.
- Hymen O Hymenaeus, Hymen here, O Hymenaeus!
- E'en as a flow'ret born secluded in garden enclosed,
- Unto the flock unknown and ne'er uptorn by the ploughshare,
- Soothed by the zephyrs and strengthened by suns and nourish't by showers
- ---
- Loves her many a youth and longs for her many a maiden:
- Yet from her lissome stalk when cropt that flower deflowered,
- Loves her never a youth nor longs for her ever a maiden:
- Thus while the virgin be whole, such while she's the dearling of kinsfolk;
- Yet no sooner is lost her bloom from body polluted,
- Neither to youths she is joy, nor a dearling she to the maidens.
- Hymen O Hymenaeus, Hymen here, O Hymenaeus!
- E'en as an unmated vine which born in field of the barest
- Never upraises head nor breeds the mellowy grape-bunch,
- But under weight prone-bowed that tender body a-bending
- Makes she her root anon to touch her topmost of tendrils;
- Tends her never a hind nor tends her ever a herdsman:
- Yet if haply conjoined the same with elm as a husband,
- Tends her many a hind and tends her many a herdsman:
- Thus is the maid when whole, uncultured waxes she aged;