What if assail they whom their souls in secrecy
cherish?
Catullus - Carmina
_
Hesperus! say what flame more gladsome in Heavens be shining?
Thou whose light makes sure long-pledged connubial promise
Plighted erewhile by men and erstwhile plighted by parents.
Yet to be ne'er fulfilled before thy fire's ardours have risen!
What better boon can the gods bestow than hour so desired? 30
Hymen O Hymenaeus, Hymen here, O Hymenaeus!
_Damsels. _
* * * *
Hesperus! one of ourselves (Companions! ) carried elsewhither
* * * *
_Hymen O Hymenaeus, Hymen here, O Hymenaeus! _
_Youths. _
* * * *
For at thy coming in sight a guard is constantly watching.
Hidden o'nights lurk thieves and these as oft as returnest,
Hesper! thou seizest them with title changed to Eous. 35
Pleases the bevy unwed with feigned complaints to accuse thee.
What if assail they whom their souls in secrecy cherish?
Hymen O Hymenaeus, Hymen here, O Hymenaeus!
_Damsels. _
E'en as a flow'ret born secluded in garden enclosed,
Unto the flock unknown and ne'er uptorn by the ploughshare, 40
Soothed by the zephyrs and strengthened by suns and nourish't by showers
* * * *
Loves her many a youth and longs for her many a maiden:
Yet from her lissome stalk when cropt that flower deflowered,
Loves her never a youth nor longs for her ever a maiden:
Thus while the virgin be whole, such while she's the dearling of
kinsfolk; 45
Yet no sooner is lost her bloom from body polluted,
Neither to youths she is joy, nor a dearling she to the maidens.
Hymen O Hymenaeus, Hymen here, O Hymenaeus!
_Youths_.
E'en as an unmated vine which born in field of the barest
Never upraises head nor breeds the mellowy grape-bunch, 50
But under weight prone-bowed that tender body a-bending
Makes she her root anon to touch her topmost of tendrils;
Tends her never a hind nor tends her ever a herdsman:
Yet if haply conjoined the same with elm as a husband,
Tends her many a hind and tends her many a herdsman: 55
Thus is the maid when whole, uncultured waxes she aged;
But whenas union meet she wins her at ripest of seasons,
More to her spouse she is dear and less she's irk to her parents.
_Hymen O Hymenaeus, Hymen here, O Hymenaeus! _
_Youths and Damsels_.
But do thou cease to resist (O Maid! ) such bridegroom opposing,
Right it is not to resist whereto consigned thee a father,
Father and mother of thee unto whom obedience is owing.
Not is that maidenhood all thine own, but partly thy parents!
Owneth thy sire one third, one third is right of thy mother,
Only the third is thine: stint thee to strive with the others,
Who to the stranger son have yielded their dues with a dower! 65
Hymen O Hymenaeus: Hymen here, O Hymenaeus!
YOUTHS.
Vesper is here, arise ye youths: Vesper at last has just borne aloft in the
heavens his long-looked-for light.
Hesperus! say what flame more gladsome in Heavens be shining?
Thou whose light makes sure long-pledged connubial promise
Plighted erewhile by men and erstwhile plighted by parents.
Yet to be ne'er fulfilled before thy fire's ardours have risen!
What better boon can the gods bestow than hour so desired? 30
Hymen O Hymenaeus, Hymen here, O Hymenaeus!
_Damsels. _
* * * *
Hesperus! one of ourselves (Companions! ) carried elsewhither
* * * *
_Hymen O Hymenaeus, Hymen here, O Hymenaeus! _
_Youths. _
* * * *
For at thy coming in sight a guard is constantly watching.
Hidden o'nights lurk thieves and these as oft as returnest,
Hesper! thou seizest them with title changed to Eous. 35
Pleases the bevy unwed with feigned complaints to accuse thee.
What if assail they whom their souls in secrecy cherish?
Hymen O Hymenaeus, Hymen here, O Hymenaeus!
_Damsels. _
E'en as a flow'ret born secluded in garden enclosed,
Unto the flock unknown and ne'er uptorn by the ploughshare, 40
Soothed by the zephyrs and strengthened by suns and nourish't by showers
* * * *
Loves her many a youth and longs for her many a maiden:
Yet from her lissome stalk when cropt that flower deflowered,
Loves her never a youth nor longs for her ever a maiden:
Thus while the virgin be whole, such while she's the dearling of
kinsfolk; 45
Yet no sooner is lost her bloom from body polluted,
Neither to youths she is joy, nor a dearling she to the maidens.
Hymen O Hymenaeus, Hymen here, O Hymenaeus!
_Youths_.
E'en as an unmated vine which born in field of the barest
Never upraises head nor breeds the mellowy grape-bunch, 50
But under weight prone-bowed that tender body a-bending
Makes she her root anon to touch her topmost of tendrils;
Tends her never a hind nor tends her ever a herdsman:
Yet if haply conjoined the same with elm as a husband,
Tends her many a hind and tends her many a herdsman: 55
Thus is the maid when whole, uncultured waxes she aged;
But whenas union meet she wins her at ripest of seasons,
More to her spouse she is dear and less she's irk to her parents.
_Hymen O Hymenaeus, Hymen here, O Hymenaeus! _
_Youths and Damsels_.
But do thou cease to resist (O Maid! ) such bridegroom opposing,
Right it is not to resist whereto consigned thee a father,
Father and mother of thee unto whom obedience is owing.
Not is that maidenhood all thine own, but partly thy parents!
Owneth thy sire one third, one third is right of thy mother,
Only the third is thine: stint thee to strive with the others,
Who to the stranger son have yielded their dues with a dower! 65
Hymen O Hymenaeus: Hymen here, O Hymenaeus!
YOUTHS.
Vesper is here, arise ye youths: Vesper at last has just borne aloft in the
heavens his long-looked-for light.
