The Carmina of Caius Valerius Catullus Part 12

LVIII.

ON LESBIA WHO ENDED BADLY.

Caelius! That Lesbia of ours, that Lesbia, That only Lesbia by Catullus loved, Than self, far fondlier, than all his friends, She now where four roads fork, and wind the wynds Husks the high-minded scions Remus-sprung. 5

O Caelius, our Lesbia, that Lesbia, the self-same Lesbia whom Catullus more than himself and all his own did worship, now at cross-roads and in alleys husks off the mettlesome descendants of Remus.

LVIIII.

Bononiensis Rufa Rufulum fellat, Vxor Meneni, saepe quam in sepulcretis Vidistis ipso rapere de rogo cenam, c.u.m devolutum ex igne prosequens panem Ab semiraso tunderetur ustore. 5

LVIIII.

ON RUFA.

Rufa the Bolognese drains Rufule dry, (Wife to Menenius) she 'mid tombs you'll spy, The same a-s.n.a.t.c.hing supper from the pyre Following the bread-loaves rolling forth the fire Till frapped by half-shaved body-burner's ire. 5

Rufa of Bononia lends her lips to Rufulus, she the wife of Menenius, whom oft among the sepulchres ye have seen clutching her meal from the funeral pile, when pursuing the bread which has rolled from the fire, whilst she was being buffeted by a semi-shorn corpse-burner.

LX.

Num te leaena montibus Libystinis Aut Scylla latrans infima inguinum parte Tam mente dura procreavit ac taetra, Vt supplicis vocem in novissimo casu Contemptam haberes a! nimis fero corde? 5

LX.

TO A CRUEL CHARMER.

Bare thee some lioness wild in Lybian wold?

Or Scylla barking from low'st inguinal fold?

With so black spirit, of so dure a mould, E'en voice of suppliant must thou disregard In latest circ.u.mstance ah, heart o'er hard? 5

Did a lioness of the Libyan Hills, or Scylla yelping from her lowmost groin, thee procreate, with mind so hard and horrid, that thou hast contempt upon a suppliant's voice in calamity's newest stress? O heart o'ergreatly cruel.

LXI.

Collis o Heliconii Cultor, Vraniae genus, Qui rapis teneram ad virum Virginem, o Hymenaee Hymen, O Hymen Hymenaee, 5

Cinge tempora floribus Suave olentis amaraci, Flammeum cape, laetus huc Huc veni niveo gerens Luteum pede socc.u.m, 10

Excitusque hilari die Nuptialia concinens Voce carmina tinnula Pelle humum pedibus, manu Pineam quate taedam. 15

Namque Vinia Manlio, Qualis Idalium colens Venit ad Phrygium Venus Iudicem, bona c.u.m bona Nubet alite virgo, 20

Floridis velut enitens Myrtus Asia ramulis, Quos Hamadryades deae Ludicrum sibi rosido Nutriunt umore. 25

Quare age huc aditum ferens Perge linquere Thespiae Rupis Aonios specus, Nympha quos super inrigat Frigerans Aganippe, 30

Ac domum dominam voca Coniugis cupidam novi, Mentem amore revinciens, Vt tenax hedera huc et huc Arborem inplicat errans. 35

Vosque item simul, integrae Virgines, quibus advenit Par dies, agite in modum Dicite 'o Hymenaee Hymen, O Hymen Hymenaee,' 40

Vt lubentius, audiens Se citarier ad suom Munus, huc aditum ferat Dux bonae Veneris, boni Coniugator amoris. 45

Quis deus magis anxiis Est petendus amantibus?

Quem colent homines magis Caelitum? o Hymenaee Hymen, O Hymen Hymenaee. 50

Te suis tremulus parens Invocat, tibi virgines Zonula soluunt sinus, Te timens cupida novos Captat aure maritus. 55

Tu fero iuveni in ma.n.u.s Floridam ipse puellulam Dedis a gremio suae Matris, o Hymenaee Hymen, O Hymen Hymenaee. 60

Nil potest sine te Venus, Fama quod bona conprobet, Commodi capere: at potest Te volente. quis huic deo Conpararier ausit? 65

Nulla quit sine te domus Liberos dare, nec parens Stirpe cingier: at potest Te volente. quis huic deo Conpararier ausit? 70

Quae tuis careat sacris, Non queat dare praesides Terra finibus: at queat Te volente. quis huic deo Conpararier ausit? 75

Claustra pandite ianuae, Virgo ades. viden ut faces Splendidas quatiunt comas?

Tardet ingenuos pudor: * * * *

Quem tamen magis audiens 80 Flet, quod ire necesse est. 81

Flere desine. non tibi, A- (86) runculeia, periculumst, Nequa femina pulchrior Clarum ab Oceano diem 85 Viderit venientem. (90)

Talis in vario solet Divitis domini hortulo Stare flos hyacinthinus.

Sed moraris, abit dies: 90 _Prodeas, nova nupta._

Prodeas, nova nupta, si Iam videtur, et audias Nostra verba. vide ut faces Aureas quatiunt comas: 95 Prodeas, nova nupta.

Non tuos levis in mala Deditus vir adultera Probra turpia persequens A tuis teneris volet 100 Secubare papillis,

Lenta quin velut adsitas Vitis inplicat arbores, Inplicabitur in tuom Conplexum. sed abit dies: 105 Prodeas, nova nupta.

O cubile, quod omnibus * * * *

* * * * 110 Candido pede lecti,

Quae tuo veniunt ero, Quanta gaudia, quae vaga Nocte, quae medio die Gaudeat! sed abit dies: 115 Prodeas, nova nupta.

Tollite, o pueri, faces: Flammeum video venire.

Ite, concinite in modum 'O Hymen Hymenaee io, 120 O Hymen Hymenaee.'

Ne diu taceat procax Fescennina iocatio, Nec nuces pueris neget Desertum domini audiens 125 Concubinus amorem.

Da nuces pueris, iners Concubine: satis diu Lusisti nucibus: lubet Iam servire Talasio. 130 Concubine, nuces da.