Catullus Poem 61, Lines 76-161
 
 
Previous (Poem 61, Lines 1-75) Perseus text of Catullus 61, Lines 76-161 Next (Poem 61, Lines 162-231)

 
 
uirgo adest. uiden ut faces 77 the bride is coming. See you how the torches
splendidas quatiunt comas? 78 shake their shining tresses?
tardet ingenuus pudor. 79 noble shame delays. . . .
quem tamen magis audiens, 80 Yet listening rather to this,
flet quod ire necesse est.
81
she weeps that she must go.
flere desine. non tibi Au- 82 Weep no more. Not to you
runculeia periculum est, 83 Aurunculeia, is there danger
ne qua femina pulcrior 84 that any fairer woman
clarum ab Oceano diem 85 shall see the bright day
uiderit uenientem.
86
coming from ocean.
talis in uario solet 87 So in the gay garden
diuitis domini hortulo 88 of a rich owner
stare flos hyacinthinus. 89 stands a hyacinth flower--
sed moraris, abit dies. 90 but you delay, the day is passing;
prodeas noua nupta.
91
come forth, O bride.
prodeas noua nupta, si 92 Come forth, O bride, if
iam uidetur, et audias 93 now you will, and hear
nostra uerba. uiden? faces 94 our words. See how the torches
aureas quatiunt comas: 95 shake their golden tresses!
prodeas noua nupta.
96
come forth, O bride.
non tuus leuis in mala 97 Your husband will not,
deditus uir adultera, 98 lightly given to some wicked paramour,
probra turpia persequens, 99 and following shameful ways of dishonour,
a tuis teneris uolet 100 wish to lie away
secubare papillis,
101
from your soft bosom.
lenta sed uelut adsitas 102 but as the pliant vine entwines
uitis implicat arbores, 103 the trees planted near it,
implicabitur in tuum 104 so will he be entwined in your
complexum. sed abit dies: 105 embrace. But the day is passing;
prodeas noua nupta.
106
come forth, O bride.
o cubile, quod omnibus 107 O bridal bed, to all
[ . . . ] 108 [ . . . ]
[ . . . ] 109 [ . . . ]
[ . . . ] 110 [ . . . ]
candido pede lecti,
111
white foot . . . bed,
quae tuo ueniunt ero, 112 What joys are coming for your lord,
quanta gaudia, quae uaga 113 O what joys to know in the fleeting
nocte, quae medio die 114 night, joys in the full day!--
gaudeat! sed abit dies: 115 but the day is passing;
prodeas noua nupta.
116
come forth, O bride.
tollite, o pueri, faces: 117 Raise aloft the torches, boys:
flammeum uideo uenire. 118 I see the wedding veil coming.
ite concinite in modum 119 Go on, sing in measure,
'io Hymen Hymenaee io,
120
"Io Hymen Hymenaeus io,
io Hymen Hymenaee.' 121 io Hymen Hymenaeus!"
ne diu taceat procax 122 Let not the merry Fescennine
Fescennina iocatio, 123 jesting be silent,
nec nuces pueris neget 124 let the favourite boy give away nuts to the sla ves
desertum domini audiens 125 when he hears how his lord
concubinus amorem.
126
has left his love.
da nuces pueris, iners 127 Give nuts to the slaves,
concubine! satis diu 128 favourite: your time is past,
lusisti nucibus: lubet 129 you have played with nuts long enough: s.
iam seruire Talasio. 130 you must now be the servant of Talassius.
concubine, nuces da.
131
Give nuts, beloved slave.
sordebant tibi uillicae, 132 Today and yesterday
concubine, hodie atque heri: 133 you disdained the country wives,
nunc tuum cinerarius 134 now the barber shaves
tondet os. miser a miser 135 your cheeks. Wretched, ah! wretched
concubine, nuces da.
136
lover, throw the nuts!
diceris male te a tuis 137 They will say that you,
unguentate glabris marite 138 perfumed bridegroom, are unwilling .
abstinere, sed abstine. 139 to give up your old pleasures; but abstain
io Hymen Hymenaee io, 140 Io Hymen Hymenaeus io,
io Hymen Hymenaee.
141
io Hymen Hymenaeus!
scimus haec tibi quae licent 142 We know that you are acquainted
sola cognita, sed marito 143 with no unlawful joys: but a husband
ista non eadem licent. 144 has not the same liberty.
io Hymen Hymenaee io, 145 Io Hymen Hymenaeus io,
io Hymen Hymenaee.
146
io Hymen Hymenaeus!
nupta, tu quoque quae tuus 147 You too, O bride, be sure you refuse not
uir petet caue ne neges, 148 what your husband claims,
ni petitum aliunde eat. 149 lest he go elsewhere to find it.
io Hymen Hymenaee io,
150
Io Hymen Hymenaeus io,
io Hymen Hymenaee. 151 io Hymen Hymenaeus!
en tibi domus ut potens 152 See how mighty and rich for you
et beata uiri tui, 153 is the house of your husband;
quae tibi sine seruiat 154 be content to be mistress here,
(io Hymen Hymenaee io, 155 (Io Hymen Hymenaeus io,
io Hymen Hymenaee)
156
io Hymen Hymenaeus!)
usque dum tremulum mouens 157 even till hoary old age,
cana tempus anilitas 158 shaking a trembling head,
omnia omnibus annuit. 159 nods assent to all for all.
io Hymen Hymenaee io, 160 Io Hymen Hymenaeus io,
io Hymen Hymenaee.
161
io Hymen Hymenaeus!