You who dwell on Helicon Hill,
Sprung from Urania,
Who carry off to her mate
The gentle virgin, O Hymenaeus Hymen,
O Hymen Hymenaeus!
Twine round your temples
Sweet-smelling flowers of marjoram;
Put on your gold-tinted veil;
Lighthearted here, come here,
Bearing on snowy foot the golden-yellow sandal:
And afire with the joyous day,
Chanting wedding melodies
With ringing voice,
Strike the ground with your feet, with your hand
Swing aloft the torch of pine.
For Vinia—fair as Venus
Dwelling in Idalium when
Came to the Phrygian judge—
A virgin fair, weds Manlius
Amid happy auspices.
She, bright-shining
As the Asian myrtle florid in its branches,
Which the Hamadryads
Nurture for their pleasure
With besprinkled dew.
So come then!
Convey your approach here,
Leaving the Aonian cave in
Cliffs of Thespiae, over which flows
The chilling stream of Aganippe.
And summon homewards the mistress,
Eager for her new husband,
Firm-prisoning her soul in love;
As tight-clasping ivy, wandering here and there,
Wraps the tree around.
And also you, upright virgins,
For whom a like day is nearing,
Chant in cadence, singing
“O Hymenaeus Hymen,
O Hymen Hymenaeus!”
That more freely, hearing himself
Called to his duty,
Will he bear here his presence,
Lord of honorable love,
Uniter of true lovers.
What god is worthier
To be sought by anxious lovers?
Whom of the celestials do men worship more greatly?
O Hymenaeus Hymen,
O Hymen Hymenaeus!
You for his young the trembling father beseeches,
for you virgins unclasp
The belt from their breasts,
for you the fearful bridegroom
Harkens with eager ear.
You deliver into the hands of the untamed youth
That flower-like maiden,
Taken from her mother's bosom,
O Hymenaeus Hymen,
O Hymen Hymenaeus!
Without you Venus can do nothing
Suitable that good
Repute sanctions; but she can,
With you willing. Who dares to be compared
With such a god?
Without you, no house
Can produce heirs, no parent
Be surrounded by offspring; but they can,
With you willing. Who dares to be compared
With such a god?
And lacking your rites no land
Can give protection
To its territory; but it can,
with you willing. Who dares to be compared
With such a god?
Unbolt, open the gates:
The virgin is here.
See how the torches shake their gleaming locks?
. . . . . . . .
. . . . . .
. . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . .
Her natural modesty detains her:
Hearing this the more,
She weeps because she must go.
Cease your tears.
For you there is no peril,
Aurunculeia, that any woman more beauteous
Will ever see the light of day
Coming from Ocean.
You are like the hyacinth flower,
Which stands aloft
Amid varied riches of its master's garden.
But you delay, day slips by:
Advance, new bride.
Advance, new bride, if it now seems right,
And listen to our speech.
See how the torches
Shake their glittering tresses:
Advance, new bride.
Nor is your man a fickle husband,
Given to ill adulteries,
Seeking shameless acts,
Ever wishing to lie away
From your soft breasts,
But as the lithe vine among
Neighbouring trees doth cling,
So shall he be enclasped in your embrace.
But day slips by:
Advance, new bride.
O nuptial couch which for all
. . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . .
With feet of ivory white.
What joys are coming to your man
In fleeting night,
In noon of day, let him rejoice!
But day slips by:
Advance, new bride.
Raise high, O boys, the torches:
I see the gleaming veil approach.
Come, chant in cadence,
“O Hymen Hymenaeus io,
O Hymen Hymenaeus.”
Nor longer silent is
Lewd Fescinnine jest,
Nor, favorite, hearing
Your master's love has flown,
Deny the nuts to the boys.
Give nuts to the boys,
O listless favorite;
Long enough have you played nuts:
Now you must serve Talassius.
O favorite, give the nuts!
The country wives were dirt to you,
O favorite, but yesterday:
Now the barber
Shaves your face. Wretched, wretched
Favorite, give the nuts.
They will say when the bridegroom has been annointed
That you can scarce
Abstain from your hairless boys: but abstain!
O Hymen Hymenaeus io,
O Hymen Hymenaeus.
We know that these delights were known to you
Only when lawful: but to the wedded these same delights
Are lawful no more.
O Hymen Hymenaeus io,
O Hymen Hymenaeus!
You also, bride, what your husband seeks
Beware of denying,
Lest he go elsewhere in its search.
O Hymen Hymenaeus io,
O Hymen Hymenaeus!
Look, your husband's home is yours,
Influential and goodly,
Allow it to serve you
(O Hymen Hymenaeus io,
O Hymen Hymenaeus!)
Until white-haired old age,
Shaking your trembling brow,
Nods assent to everything.
O Hymen Hymenaeus io,
O Hymen Hymenaeus!
Bring with good omen your golden feet
Across the threshold,
And go through the polished doorway.
O Hymen Hymenaeus io,
O Hymen Hymenaeus!
Look! your husband alone within,
Lying on Tyrian couch,
All-expectant waits for you.
O Hymen Hymenaeus io,
O Hymen Hymenaeus!
No less than in yours,
In his breast burns an inmost flame,
But more deeply inward.
O Hymen Hymenaeus io,
O Hymen Hymenaeus!
Release the maiden's slender arm,
Boy with crimson-bordered toga:
Now let her approach her husband's couch.
O Hymen Hymenaeus io,
O Hymen Hymenaeus.
You good women of fair renown
To aged spouses,
Put the maiden to bed.
O Hymen Hymenaeus io,
O Hymen Hymenaeus.
Now you may come, bridegroom:
Your wife is in the bedroom,
With face brightly blushing
As white parthenice
Amid ruddy poppies.
But, bridegroom (so help me the heaven-dwellers)
An no way less beautiful are you,
Nor does Venus slight you.
But the day slips by:
On! Do not delay.
You have not delayed for long,
Now you are coming.
Kindly Venus will help you,
Since what you desire you take publicly,
And do not conceal true love.
Whoever wishes to keep count of
Your many thousand games,
First let him make
An accounting of the number of Africa's sands
And the glittering stars.
Play as you like, and speedily
Give heirs. It does not become
So old a name to without children,
But from similar stock
Always to be generated.
A little Torquatus I wish,
From his mother's lap
Reaching out his dainty hands,
And smiling sweetly at his father
With lips apart.
May he be like his father Manlius,
And easily acknowledged
By every stranger,
And by his face point out
His mother's faithfulness.
May such praise
Confirm his birth from true mother,
Such fame as rests
Only with Telemachus
From best of mothers, Penelope.
Close the doors, virgins:
Enough we've played.
But, fair bride and groom, live you well,
and diligently fulfil the office
Of vigorous youth.
|
Collis o Heliconii
cultor, Uraniae genus,
qui rapis teneram ad virum
virginem, o Hymenaee Hymen,
o Hymen Hymenaee;
cinge tempora floribus
suave olentis amaraci,
flammeum cape laetus, huc
huc veni, niveo gerens
luteum pede soccum;
excitusque hilari die,
nuptialia concinens
voce carmina tinnula,
pelle humum pedibus, manu
pineam quate taedam.
namque Iunia Manlio,
qualis Idalium colens
venit ad Phrygium Venus
iudicem, bona cum bona
nubet alite virgo,
floridis velut enitens
myrtus Asia ramulis
quos Hamadryades deae
ludicrum sibi roscido
nutriunt umore.
quare age, huc aditum ferens,
perge linquere Thespiae
rupis Aonios specus,
nympha quos super irrigat
frigerans Aganippe.
ac domum dominam voca
coniugis cupidam novi,
mentem amore revinciens,
ut tenax hedera huc et huc
arborem implicat errans.
vosque item simul, integrae
virgines, quibus advenit
par dies, agite in modum
dicite, o Hymenaee Hymen,
o Hymen Hymenaee.
ut libentius, audiens
se citarier ad suum
munus, huc aditum ferat
dux bonae Veneris, boni
coniugator amoris.
quis deus magis est ama-
tis petendus amantibus?
quem colent homines magis
caelitum, o Hymenaee Hymen,
o Hymen Hymenaee?
te suis tremulus parens
invocat, tibi virgines
zonula solvunt sinus,
te timens cupida novos
captat aure maritus.
tu fero iuveni in manus
floridam ipse puellulam
dedis a gremio suae
matris, o Hymenaee Hymen,
o Hymen Hymenaee.
nil potest sine te Venus,
fama quod bona comprobet,
commodi capere, at potest
te volente. quis huic deo
compararier ausit?
nulla quit sine te domus
liberos dare, nec parens
stirpe nitier; ac potest
te volente. quis huic deo
compararier ausit?
quae tuis careat sacris,
non queat dare praesides
terra finibus: at queat
te volente. quis huic deo
compararier ausit?
claustra pandite ianuae.
virgo adest. viden ut faces
splendidas quatiunt comas?
. . . . . . . .
. . . . . .
. . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . .
tardet ingenuus pudor.
quem tamen magis audiens,
flet quod ire necesse est.
flere desine. non tibi Au-
runculeia periculum est,
ne qua femina pulcrior
clarum ab Oceano diem
viderit venientem.
talis in vario solet
diuitis domini hortulo
stare flos hyacinthinus.
sed moraris, abit dies.
prodeas nova nupta.
prodeas nova nupta, si
iam videtur, et audias
nostra verba. viden? faces
aureas quatiunt comas:
prodeas nova nupta.
non tuus levis in mala
deditus vir adultera,
probra turpia persequens,
a tuis teneris volet
secubare papillis,
lenta sed velut adsitas
vitis implicat arbores,
implicabitur in tuum
complexum. sed abit dies:
prodeas nova nupta.
o cubile, quod omnibus
. . . . . . .
. . . . . . .
. . . . . . .
candido pede lecti,
quae tuo veniunt ero,
quanta gaudia, quae vaga
nocte, quae medio die
gaudeat! sed abit dies:
prodeas nova nupta.
tollite, o pueri, faces:
flammeum video venire.
ite concinite in modum
'io Hymen Hymenaee io,
io Hymen Hymenaee.'
ne diu taceat procax
Fescennina iocatio,
nec nuces pueris neget
desertum domini audiens
concubinus amorem.
da nuces pueris, iners
concubine! satis diu
lusisti nucibus: lubet
iam seruire Talasio.
concubine, nuces da.
sordebant tibi villicae,
concubine, hodie atque heri:
nunc tuum cinerarius
tondet os. miser a miser
concubine, nuces da.
diceris male te a tuis
unguentate glabris marite
abstinere, sed abstine.
io Hymen Hymenaee io,
io Hymen Hymenaee.
scimus haec tibi quae licent
sola cognita, sed marito
ista non eadem licent.
io Hymen Hymenaee io,
io Hymen Hymenaee.
nupta, tu quoque quae tuus
vir petet cave ne neges,
ni petitum aliunde eat.
io Hymen Hymenaee io,
io Hymen Hymenaee.
en tibi domus ut potens
et beata viri tui,
quae tibi sine serviat
(io Hymen Hymenaee io,
io Hymen Hymenaee)
usque dum tremulum movens
cana tempus anilitas
omnia omnibus annuit.
io Hymen Hymenaee io,
io Hymen Hymenaee.
transfer omine cum bono
limen aureolos pedes,
rasilemque subi forem.
io Hymen Hymenaee io,
io Hymen Hymenaee.
aspice intus ut accubans
vir tuus Tyrio in toro
totus immineat tibi.
io Hymen Hymenaee io,
io Hymen Hymenaee.
illi non minus ac tibi
pectore uritur intimo
flamma, sed penite magis.
io Hymen Hymenaee io,
io Hymen Hymenaee.
mitte brachiolum teres,
praetextate, puellulae:
iam cubile adeat viri.
io Hymen Hymenaee io,
io Hymen Hymenaee.
vos bonae senibus viris
cognitae bene feminae,
collocate puellulam.
io Hymen Hymenaee io,
io Hymen Hymenaee.
iam licet venias, marite:
uxor in thalamo tibi est,
ore floridulo nitens,
alba parthenice velut
luteumve papauer.
at, marite, ita me iuvent
caelites, nihilo minus
pulcer es, neque te Venus
neglegit. sed abit dies:
perge, ne remorare.
non diu remoratus es:
iam venis. bona te Venus
iuverit, quoniam palam
quod cupis cupis, et bonum
non abscondis amorem.
ille pulveris Africi
siderumque micantium
subducat numerum prius,
qui vestri numerare volt
multa milia ludi.
ludite ut lubet, et brevi
liberos date. non decet
tam vetus sine liberis
nomen esse, sed indidem
semper ingenerari.
Torquatus volo parvulus
matris e gremio suae
porrigens teneras manus
dulce rideat ad patrem
semihiante labello.
sit suo similis patri
Manlio et facile insciis
noscitetur ab omnibus,
et pudicitiam suae
matris indicet ore.
talis illius a bona
matre laus genus approbet,
qualis unica ab optima
matre Telemacho manet
fama Penelopeo.
claudite ostia, virgines:
lusimus satis. at boni
coniuges, bene vivite et
munere assiduo valentem
exercete iuventam.
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61.14
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61.16
61.17
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61.21
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61.24
61.25
61.26
61.27
61.28
61.29
61.30
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61.34
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61.44
61.45
61.46
61.47
61.48
61.49
61.50
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61.55
61.56
61.57
61.58
61.59
61.60
61.61
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61.64
61.65
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61.67
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61.70
61.71
61.72
61.73
61.74
61.75
61.76
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61.78
61.79
61.80
61.81
61.82
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61.84
61.85
61.86
61.87
61.88
61.89
61.90
61.91
61.92
61.93
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61.95
61.96
61.97
61.98
61.99
61.100
61.101
61.102
61.103
61.104
61.105
61.106
61.107
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61.118
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61.133
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61.139
61.140
61.141
61.142
61.143
61.144
61.145
61.146
61.147
61.148
61.149
61.150
61.151
61.152
61.153
61.154
61.155
61.156
61.157
61.158
61.159
61.160
61.161
61.162
61.163
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61.165
61.166
61.167
61.168
61.169
61.170
61.171
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61.173
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61.175
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61.181
61.182
61.183
61.184
61.185
61.186
61.187
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61.189
61.190
61.191
61.192
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61.200
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61.215
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61.235
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