The Carmina of Caius Valerius Catullus Part 15

O Hymen Hymenaeus io, 160 O Hymen Hymenaeus.

34.

O'erstep with omen meetest meet The threshold-stone thy golden feet Up, past the polisht panels fleet.

O Hymen Hymenaeus io, 165 O Hymen Hymenaeus.

35.

Within bestrewn thy bridegroom see On couch of Tyrian cramoisy All imminent awaiting thee.

O Hymen Hymenaeus io, 170 O Hymen Hymenaeus.

36.

For in his breast not less than thine Burn high the flames that deepest shrine, Yet his the lowe far deeper lien.

O Hymen Hymenaeus io, 175 O Hymen Hymenaeus.

37.

Let fall the maid's soft arms, thou fair Boy purple-hem'd: now be thy care Her bridegroom's couch she seek and share.

O Hymen Hymenaeus io, 180 O Hymen Hymenaeus.

38.

Ye wives time-tried to husbands wed, Well-known for chast.i.ty inbred, Dispose the virginette a-bed.

O Hymen Hymenaeus io, 185 O Hymen Hymenaeus.

39.

Groom, now 'tis meet thou hither pace, With bride in genial bed to blend, For sheenly s.h.i.+nes her flowery face Where the white chamomiles contend 190 With poppies blus.h.i.+ng red.

40.

Yet bridegroom (So may G.o.dhead deign Help me!) nowise in humbler way Art fair, nor Venus shall disdain Thy charms, but look! how wanes the day: 195 Forward, nor loiter more!

41.

No longer loitering makest thou, Now comest thou. May Venus good Aid thee when frankly takest thou Thy wishes won, nor true Love woo'd 200 Thou carest to conceal.

42.

Of Afric's wolds and wilds each grain, Or constellations glistening, First reckon he that of the twain To count alone were fain to bring 205 The many thousand joys.

43.

Play as ye please: soon prove ye deft At babying babes,--'twere ill design'd A name thus ancient should be left Heirless, but issue like of kind 210 Engendered aye should be.

44.

A wee Torquatus fain I'd see Encradled on his mother's breast Put forth his tender puds while he Smiles to his sire with sweetest gest 215 And liplets half apart.

45.

Let son like father's semblance show (Manlius!) so with easy guess All know him where his sire they know, And still his face and form express 220 His mother's honest love.

46.

Approve shall fair approof his birth From mother's seed-stock generous, As rarest fame of mother's worth Unique exalts Telemachus 225 Penelope's own son.

47.

Fast close the door-leaves, virgin band: Enow we've played. But ye the fair New-wedded twain live happy, and Functions of l.u.s.ty married pair 230 Exercise sans surcease.

O Fosterer of the Helicon Hill, sprung from Urania, who beareth the gentle virgin to her mate, O Hymenaeus Hymen, O Hymen Hymenaeus!

Twine round thy temples sweet-smelling flowerets of marjoram; put on thy gold-tinted veil; light-hearted, hither, hither haste, bearing on snowy foot the golden-yellow sandal:

And a-fire with the joyous day, chanting wedding melodies with ringing voice, strike the ground with thy feet, with thine hand swing aloft the pine-link.

For Vinia--fair as Idalian Venus, when stood before the Phrygian judge--a virgin fair, weds Manlius 'midst happy auspices.

She, bright-s.h.i.+ning as the Asian myrtle florid in branchlets, which the Hamadryads nurture for their pleasure with besprinkled dew.

Wherefore, hither! leaving the Aonian grot in the Thespian Rock, o'er which flows the chilling stream of Aganippe.

And summon homewards the mistress, eager for her new yoke, firm-prisoning her soul in love; as tight-clasping ivy, wandering hither, thither, enwraps the tree around.

And also ye, upright virgins, for whom a like day is nearing, chant ye in cadence, singing "O Hymenaeus Hymen, O Hymen Hymenaeus!"

That more freely, hearing himself to his duty called, will he bear hither his presence, Lord of true Venus, uniter of true lovers.

What G.o.d is worthier of solicitation by anxious amourists? Whom of the celestials do men wors.h.i.+p more greatly? O Hymenaeus Hymen, O Hymen Hymenaeus!

Thee for his young the trembling father beseeches, for thee virgins unclasp the zone from their b.r.e.a.s.t.s, for thee the fear-full bridegroom harkeneth with eager ear.

Thou bearest to the youngster's arms that flower-like damsel, taken from her mother's bosom, O Hymenaeus Hymen, O Hymen Hymenaeus!

Nor lacking thee may Venus take her will with fair Fame's approbation; but she may, with thy sanction. With such a G.o.d who dares compare?

Lacking thee, no house can yield heirs, nor parent be surrounded by offspring; but they may, with thy sanction. With such a G.o.d who dares compare?

Nor lacking thy rites may our land be protected e'en to its boundaries; but it may, with thy sanction. With such a G.o.d who dares compare?

Gates open wide: the virgin is here. See how the torch-flakes shake their gleaming locks? Let shame r.e.t.a.r.d the modest:

Yet hearing, greater does she weep, that she must onwards go.

Cease thy tears. For thee there is no peril, Aurunculeia, that any woman more beauteous from Ocean springing shall ever see the light of day.