The Poems and Fragments of Catullus Part 12

Or am I to range the green tracts upon Ida snowy-chill? 70 Be beneath the stately caverns colonnaded of Asia?

Be with hind that haunts the covert, or in hursts that house the boar?

Woe, woe the deed accomplish'd! woe, woe, the shame to me!"

From rosy lips ascending when approached the gusty cry To celestial ears recording such a message inly borne, 75 Cybele, the thong relaxing from a lion-haled yoke, Said, aleft the goad addressing to the foe that awes the flocks--

"Come, a service; haste, my brave one; let a fury the madman arm, Let a fury, a frenzy p.r.i.c.k him to return to the wood again, This is he my hest declineth, the unheedy, the runaway. 80

From an angry tail refuse not to abide the sinewy stroke, To a roar let all the regions echo answer everywhere, On a nervy neck be tossing that uneasy tawny mane."

So in ire she spake, adjusting disunitedly then her yoke At his own rebuke the lion doth his heart to a fury spur, 85 With a step, a roar, a bursting unarrested of any brake.

But anear the foamy places when he came, to the frothy beach, When he saw the s.e.xless Attis by the seas' level opaline, Then he rushed upon him; affrighted to the wintery wood he flew, Cybele's for aye, for all years, in her order a votaress. 90 Holy deity, great Cybele, holy lady Dindymene, Be to me afar for ever that inordinate agony.

O another hound to madness, O another hurry to rage!

LXIV.

Born on Pelion height, so legend h.o.a.ry relateth, Pines once floated adrift on Neptune billowy streaming On to the Phasis flood, to the borders aeaetean.

Then did a chosen array, rare bloom of valorous Argos, Fain from Colchian earth her fleece of glory to ravish, 5 Dare with a keel of swiftness adown salt seas to be fleeting, Swept with fir-blades oary the fair level azure of Ocean.

Then that deity bright, who keeps in cities her high ward, Made to delight them a car, to the light breeze airily scudding, Texture of upright pine with a keel's curved rondure uniting. 10 That first sailer of all burst ever on Amphitrite.

Scarcely the forward snout tore up that wintery water, Scarcely the wave foamed white to the reckless harrow of oarsmen, Straight from amid white eddies arose wild faces of Ocean, Nereid, earnest-eyed, in wonderous admiration. 15 Then, not after again, saw ever mortal unharmed Sea-born Nymphs unveil limbs flus.h.i.+ng naked about them.

Stark to the nursing b.r.e.a.s.t.s from foam and billow arising.

Then, so stories avow, burn'd Peleus hotly to Thetis, Then to a mortal lover abode not Thetis unheeding, 20 Then did a father agree Peleus with Thetis unite him.

O in an aureat hour, O born in bounteous ages, G.o.d-sprung heroes, hail: hail, mother of all benediction, You my song shall address, you melodies everlasting.

Thee most chiefly, supreme in glory of heavenly bridal, 25 Peleus, stately defence of Thessaly. Iuppiter even Gave thee his own fair love, thy mortal pleasure approving.

Thee could Thetis inarm, most beauteous Ocean-daughter?

Tethys adopt thee, her own dear grandchild's wooer usurping?

Ocean, who earth's vast globe with a watery girdle inorbeth? 30

When the delectable hour those days did fully determine, Straightway then in crowds all Thessaly flock'd to the palace, Thronging hosts uncounted, a company joyous approaching.

Many a gift they carry, delight their faces illumines.

Left is Scyros afar, and Phthia's bowery Tempe, 35 Vacant Crannon's homes, unvisited high Larisa, Towards Pharsalia's halls, Pharsalia's only they hie them.

Bides no tiller afield; necks soften of oxen in idlesse; Feel not a p.r.o.ng'd crook'd hoe lush vines all weedily trailing; Tears no steer deep clods with a downward coulter unearthed; 40 Prunes no hedger's bill broad-verging verdurous arbours; Steals a deforming rust on ploughs left rankly to moulder.

But that sovran abode, each sumptuous inly retiring Chamber, aflame with gold, with silver is all resplendent; Thrones gleam ivory-white; cup-crown'd blaze brightly the tables; 45 All the domain with treasure of empery gaudily flushes.

There, set deeply within the remotest centre, a bridal Bed doth a G.o.ddess inarm; smooth ivory glossy from Indies, Robed in roseate hues, rich seash.e.l.ls' purple adorning.

It was a broidery freak'd with tissue of images olden, 50 One whose curious art did blazon valour of heroes.

Gazing forth from a beach of Dia the billow-resounding, Look'd on a vanish'd fleet, on Theseus quickly departing, Restless in unquell'd pa.s.sion, a feverous heart, Ariadne.

Scarcely her eyes yet seem their seeming clearly to vision. 55 You might guess that arous'd from slumber's drowsy betrayal, Sand-engirded, alone, then first she knew desolation.

He the betrayer--his oars with fugitive hurry the waters Beat, each promise of old to the winds given idly to bear them.

Him from amid sh.o.r.e-weeds doth Minos' daughter, in anguish 60 Rigid, a Bacchant-form, dim-gazing stonily follow, Stonily still, wave-tost on a sea of troublous affliction.

Holds not her yellow locks the tiara's feathery tissue; Veils not her hidden breast light brede of drapery woven; Binds not a cincture smooth her bosom's...o...b..d emotion. 65 Widely from each fair limb that footward-fallen apparel Drifts its lady before, in billowy salt loose-playing.

Not for silky tiara nor amice gustily floating Recks she at all any more; thee, Theseus, ever her earnest Heart, all clinging thought, all chained fancy requireth. 70 Ah unfortunate! whom with miseries ever crazing, Thorns in her heart deep planted, affray'd Erycina to madness, From that earlier hour, when fierce for victory Theseus Started alert from a beach deep-inleted of Piraeus, Gain'd Gortyna's abode, injurious halls of oppression. 75

Once, 'tis sung in stories, a dire distemper atoning Death of an ill-blest prince, Androgeos, angrily slaughter'd, Taxed of her youthful array, her maidenly bloom fresh-glowing, Feast to the monster bull, Cecropia, ransom-laden.

Then, when a plague so deadly, the garrison undermining, 80 Spent that slender city, his Athens dearly to rescue, Sooner life Theseus and precious body did offer, Ere his country to Crete freight corpses, a life in seeming.

So with a s.h.i.+p fast-fleeted, a gale blown gently behind him, Push'd he his onward journey to Minos' haughty dominion. 85

Him for very delight when a virgin fondly desiring Gazed on, a royal virgin, in odours silkily nestled, Pure from a maiden's couch, from a mother's pillowy bosom, Like some myrtle, anear Eurotas' water arising, Like earth's myriad hues, spring's progeny, rais'd to the breezes; 90 Droop'd not her eyes their gaze unquenchable, ever-burning Save when in each charm'd limb to the depths enfolded, a sudden Flame blazed hotly within her, in all her marrow abiding.

O thou cruel of heart, thou madding worker of anguish, Boy immortal, of whom joy springs with misery blending, 95 Yea, thou queen of Golgi, of Idaly leaf-embower'd, O'er what a fire love-lit, what billows wearily tossing, Drave ye the maid, for a guest so sunnily lock'd deep sighing.

What most dismal alarms her swooning fancy did echo!

Oft what a sallower hue than gold's cold glitter upon her! 100 Whiles, heart-hungry in arms that monster deadly to combat, Theseus drew towards death or victory, guerdon of honour.

Yet not lost the devotion, or offer'd idly the virgin's Gifts, as her unvoic'd lips breathed incense faintly to heaven.

As on Taurus aloft some oak agitatedly waving 105 Tosses his arms, or a pine cone-mantled, oozily rinded, When as his huge gnarled trunk in furious eddies a whirlwind Riving wresteth amain; down falleth he, upward hoven, Falleth on earth; far, near, all crackles brittle around him, So to the ground Theseus his fallen foeman abasing, 110 Slew, that his horned front toss'd vainly, a sport to the breezes.

Thence in safety, a victor, in height of glory returned, Guiding errant feet to a thread's impalpable order.

Lest, upon egress bent thro' tortuous aisles labyrinthine, Walls of blindness, a maze unravell'd ever, elude him. 115

Yet, for again I come to the former story, beseems not Linger on all done there; how left that daughter a gazing Father, a sister's arms, her mother woefully clinging, Mother, who o'er that child moan'd desperate, all heart-broken; How not in home that maid, in Theseus only delighted; 120 How her s.h.i.+p on a sh.o.r.e of foaming Dia did harbour; How, when her eyes lay bound in slumber's shadowy prison, He forsook, forgot her, a wooer traitorous-hearted:

Oft, say stories, at heart with frenzied fantasy burning, Pour'd she, a deep-wrung breast, clear-ringing cries of oppression; 125 Sometimes mournfully clomb to the mountain's rugged ascension, Straining thence her vision across wide surges of ocean; Now to the brine ran forth, upsplas.h.i.+ng freshly to meet her, Lifting raiment fine her thighs which softly did open; Last, when sorrow had end, these words thus spake she lamenting, 130 While from a mouth tear-stain'd chill sobs gushed dolorous ever.

'Look, is it here, false heart, that rapt from country, from altar, Household altar ash.o.r.e, I wander, falsely deserted?

Ah! is it hence, Theseus, that against high heaven a traitor Homeward thou thy vileness, alas thy perjury bearest? 135

Might not a thought, one thought, thy cruel counsel abating Sway thee tender? at heart rose no compa.s.sion or any Mercy, to bend thy soul, or me for pity deliver?

Yet not this thy promise of old, thy dearly remembered Voice, not these the delights thou bad'st thy poor one inherit; 140 Nay, but wedlock happy, but envied joy hymeneal; All now melted in air, with a light wind emptily fleeting.

Let not a woman trust, since that first treason, a lover's Desperate oath, none hope true lover's promise is earnest.

They, while fondly to win their amorous humour essayeth, 145 Fear no covetous oath, all false free promises heed not; They if once lewd pleasure attain unruly possession, Lo they fear not promise, of oath or perjury reck not.

Yet indeed, yet I, when floods of death were around thee, Set thee on high, did rather a brother choose to defend not, 150 Ere I, in hate's last hour, false heart, fail'd thee to deliver.

Now, for a goodly reward, to the beasts they give me, the flying Fowls; no handful of earth shall bury me, pa.s.s'd to the shadows.

What grim lioness yeaned thee, aneath what rock's desolation?

What wild sea did bear, what billows foamy regorged thee? 155 Seething sand, or Scylla the snare, or lonely Charybdis?

If for a life's dear joy comes back such only requital?

Hadst not a will with spousal an honour'd wife to receive me?

Awed thee a father stern, cross age's churlish avising?

Yet to your household thou, your kindred palaces olden, 160 Might'st have led me, to wait, joy-filled, a retainer upon thee, Now in waters clear thy feet like ivory laving, Clothing now thy bed with crimson's gorgeous apparel.

Yet to the brutish winds why moan I longer unheeded, Crazy with an ill wrong? They senseless, voiceless, inhuman 165 Utter'd cry they hear not, in answers hollow reply not.