He who every light of the sky world's vastness inspected,
He who
mastered
in mind risings and settings of stars,
How of the fast rising sun obscured be the fiery splendours,
How at the seasons assured vanish the planets from view,
How Diana to lurk thief-like 'neath Latmian stonefields, 5
Summoned by sweetness of Love, comes from her aery gyre;
That same Conon espied among lights Celestial shining
Me, Berenice's Hair, which, from her glorious head,
Fulgent in brightness afar, to many a host of the Godheads
Stretching her soft smooth arms she vowed to devoutly bestow, 10
What time strengthened by joy of new-made wedlock the monarch
Bounds of Assyrian land hurried to plunder and pill;
Bearing of nightly strife new signs and traces delicious,
Won in the war he waged virginal trophies to win.
Catullus - Carmina
Ille quoque eversus mons est, quem maximum in orbi
Progenies Thiae clara supervehitur,
Cum Medi peperere novom mare, cumque inventus 45
Per medium classi barbara navit Athon.
Quid facient crines, cum ferro talia cedant?
Iuppiter, ut Chalybon omne genus pereat,
Et qui principio sub terra quaerere venas
Institit ac ferri frangere duritiem! 50
Abiunctae paulo ante comae mea fata sorores
Lugebant, cum se Memnonis Aethiopis
Vnigena inpellens nictantibus aera pennis
Obtulit Arsinoes Locridos ales equos,
Isque per aetherias me tollens avolat umbras 55
Et Veneris casto collocat in gremio.
Ipsa suum Zephyritis eo famulum legarat,
Graia Canopieis incola litoribus.
+ Hi dii ven ibi vario ne solum in lumine caeli
Ex Ariadneis aurea temporibus 60
Fixa corona foret, sed nos quoque fulgeremus
Devotae flavi verticis exuviae,
Vvidulam a fletu cedentem ad templa deum me
Sidus in antiquis diva novom posuit:
Virginis et saevi contingens namque Leonis 65
Lumina, Callisto iuncta Lycaoniae,
Vertor in occasum, tardum dux ante Booten,
Qui vix sero alto mergitur Oceano.
Sed quamquam me nocte premunt vestigia divom,
Lux autem canae Tethyi restituit, 70
(Pace tua fari hic liceat, Rhamnusia virgo,
Namque ego non ullo vera timore tegam,
Nec si me infestis discerpent sidera dictis,
Condita quin verei pectoris evoluam):
Non his tam laetor rebus, quam me afore semper, 75
Afore me a dominae vertice discrucior,
Quicum ego, dum virgo curis fuit omnibus expers,
Vnguenti Suriei milia multa bibi.
Nunc vos, optato quom iunxit lumine taeda,
Non prius unanimis corpora coniugibus 80
Tradite nudantes reiecta veste papillas,
Quam iocunda mihi munera libet onyx,
Voster onyx, casto petitis quae iura cubili.
Sed quae se inpuro dedit adulterio,
Illius a mala dona levis bibat irrita pulvis: 85
Namque ego ab indignis praemia nulla peto.
Sed magis, o nuptae, semper concordia vostras
Semper amor sedes incolat adsiduos.
Tu vero, regina, tuens cum sidera divam
Placabis festis luminibus Venerem, 90
Vnguinis expertem non siris esse tuam me,
Sed potius largis adfice muneribus.
Sidera corruerent utinam! coma regia fiam:
Proximus Hydrochoi fulgeret Oarion!
LXVI.
(LOQUITUR) BERENICE'S LOCK.
He who every light of the sky world's vastness inspected,
He who
mastered
in mind risings and settings of stars,
How of the fast rising sun obscured be the fiery splendours,
How at the seasons assured vanish the planets from view,
How Diana to lurk thief-like 'neath Latmian stonefields, 5
Summoned by sweetness of Love, comes from her aery gyre;
That same Conon espied among lights Celestial shining
Me, Berenice's Hair, which, from her glorious head,
Fulgent in brightness afar, to many a host of the Godheads
Stretching her soft smooth arms she vowed to devoutly bestow, 10
What time strengthened by joy of new-made wedlock the monarch
Bounds of Assyrian land hurried to plunder and pill;
Bearing of nightly strife new signs and traces delicious,
Won in the war he waged virginal trophies to win.
Loathsome is Venus to all new-paired? Else why be the parents' 15
Pleasure frustrated aye by the false flow of tears
Poured in profusion amid illuminate genial chamber?
Nay not real the groans; ever so help me the Gods!
This truth taught me my Queen by force of manifold 'plainings
After her new groom hied facing the fierceness of fight. 20
Yet so thou mournedst not for a bed deserted of husband,
As for a brother beloved wending on woefullest way?
How was the marrow of thee consumedly wasted by sorrow!
So clean forth of thy breast, rackt with solicitous care,
Mind fled, sense being reft! But I have known thee for certain 25
E'en from young virginal years lofty of spirit to be.
Hast thou forgotten the feat whose greatness won thee a royal
Marriage--a deed so prow, never a prower was dared?
Yet how sad was the speech thou spakest, thy husband farewelling!
(Jupiter!) Often thine eyes wiping with sorrowful hand! 30
What manner God so great thus changed thee? Is it that lovers
Never will tarry afar parted from person beloved?
Then unto every God on behalf of thy helpmate, thy sweeting,
Me thou gavest in vow, not without bloodshed of bulls,
If he be granted return, and long while nowise delaying, 35
Captive Asia he add unto Egyptian bounds.
