Carmina
Catullus
Catullus, Gaius Valerius. The Carmina of Caius Valerius Catullus. Burton, Sir Richard Francis, translator. London, Printed for the Translators, 1894.
- She, that governing Goddess of citadels crowning the cities,
- Builded herself their car fast-flitting with lightest of breezes,
- Weaving plants of the pine conjoined in curve of the kelson;
- Foremost of all to imbue rude Amphitrite with ship-lore.
- Soon as her beak had burst through wind-rackt spaces of ocean,
- While the oar-tortured wave with spumy whiteness was blanching,
- Surged from the deep abyss and hoar-capped billows the faces
- Seaborn, Nereids eyeing the prodigy wonder-smitten.
- There too mortal orbs through softened spendours regarded
- Ocean-nymphs who exposed bodies denuded of raiment
- Bare to the breast upthrust from hoar froth capping the sea-depths.
- Then Thetis Peleus fired (men say) a-sudden with love,
- Then Thetis nowise spurned to mate and marry with mortal,
- Then Thetis' Sire himself her yoke with Peleus sanctioned.
- Oh, in those happier days now fondly yearned-for, you heroes
- Born; (all hail!) of the gods begotten, and excellent issue
- Bred by your mothers, all hail! and placid deal me your favour.
- Oft with the sound of me, in strains and spells I'll invoke you;
- You too by wedding-torch so happily, highly augmented,
- Peleus, Thessaly's ward, in whose favor Jupiter himself,