Chapter 8

They say that from thy hairless ingles, O sweet-scented bridegroom, thou canst scarce abstain: but abstain thou! O Hymen Hymenaeus io, O Hymen Hymenaeus.

We know that these delights were known to thee only when lawful: but to the wedded these same no more are lawful. O Hymen Hymenaeus io, O Hymen Hymenaeus!

Thou also, bride, what thy husband seekest beware of denying, lest he go elsewhere in its search. O Hymen Hymenaeus io, O Hymen Hymenaeus!

Look, thy husband's home is thine, potent and goodly, and shall be thine for ever more. O Hymen Hymenaeus io, O Hymen Hymenaeus!

Until with trembling movement thine hoary brow nods ever to everything. O Hymen Hymenaeus io, O Hymen Hymenaeus!

Lift o'er the threshold with good omen thy glistening feet, and go through the polished gates. O Hymen Hymenaeus io, O Hymen Hymenaeus!

Look! thy lord within, lying on Tyrian couch, all-expectant waits for thee. O Hymen Hymenaeus io, O Hymen Hymenaeus!

Not less than in thine, in his breast burns an inmost flame, but more deeply inward. O Hymen Hymenaeus io, O Hymen Hymenaeus!

Unloose the damsel's slender arm, O purple-bordered youth: now let her approach her husband's couch. O Hymen Hymenaeus io, O Hymen Hymenaeus.

Ye good dames of fair renown to aged spouses, put ye the damsel a-bed. O Hymen Hymenaeus io, O Hymen Hymenaeus.

Now thou mayst come, O bridegroom: thy wife is in the bridal-bed, with face brightly blushing as white parthenice 'midst ruddy poppies.

But, O bridegroom (so help me the heaven-dwellers) in no way less beautiful art thou, nor doth Venus slight thee. But the day slips by: on! nor more delay.

Nor long hast thou delayed, thou comest now. May kindly Venus help thee, since what thou dost desire thou takest publicly, and dost not conceal true love.

Of Afric's sands and glittering stars the number first let him tell, who wishes to keep count of your many-thousand sports.

Sport as ye like, and speedily give heirs. It does not become so old a name to be sans heirs, but for similar stock always to be generated.

A little Torquatus I wish, from his mother's bosom reaching out his dainty hands, and smiling sweetly at his father with lips apart.

May he be like his sire 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 unique as rests with Telemachus from best of mothers, Penelope.

Close ye the doors, virgins: enough we've sported. But, fair bride and groom, live ye well, and diligently fulfil the office of vigorous youth.

LXII.

Vesper adest, iuvenes, consurgite: Vesper Olympo Expectata diu vix tandem lumina tollit. Surgere iam tempus, iam pingues linquere mensas, Iam veniet virgo, iam dicetur Hymenaeus. Hymen o Hymenaee, Hymen ades o Hymenaee! 5

Cernitis, innuptae, iuvenes? consurgite contra: Nimirum Oetaeos ostendit noctifer ignes. Sic certest; viden ut perniciter exiluere? Non temere exiluere, canent quod vincere par est. Hymen o Hymenaee, Hymen ades o Hymenaee! 10

Non facilis nobis, aequales, palma paratast, Adspicite, innuptae secum ut meditata requirunt. Non frustra meditantur, habent memorabile quod sit. Nec mirum, penitus quae tota mente laborent. Nos alio mentes, alio divisimus aures: 15 Iure igitur vincemur, amat victoria curam. Quare nunc animos saltem convertite vestros, Dicere iam incipient, iam respondere decebit. Hymen o Hymenaee, Hymen ades o Hymenaee!

Hespere, qui caelo fertur crudelior ignis? 20 Qui natam possis conplexu avellere matris, Conplexu matris retinentem avellere natam Et iuveni ardenti castam donare puellam. Quid faciunt hostes capta crudelius urbe? Hymen o Hymenaee, Hymen ades o Hymenaee! 25

Hespere, qui caelo lucet iocundior ignis? Qui desponsa tua firmes conubia flamma, Quae pepigere viri, pepigerunt ante parentes Nec iunxere prius quam se tuus extulit ardor. Quid datur a divis felici optatius hora? 30 Hymen o Hymenaee, Hymen ades o Hymenaee!

* * * * Hesperus e nobis, aequales, abstulit unam * * * * _Hymen o Hymenaee, Hymen ades o Hymenaee_!

* * * * Namque tuo adventu vigilat custodia semper. Nocte latent fures, quos idem saepe revertens, Hespere, mutato conprendis nomine Eous. 35 At libet innuptis ficto te carpere questu. Quid tum, si carpunt, tacita quem mente requirunt? Hymen o Hymenaee, Hymen ades o Hymenaee!

Vt flos in saeptis secretus nascitur hortis, Ignotus pecori, nullo convolsus aratro, 40 Quem mulcent aurae, firmat sol, educat imber * * * * Multi illum pueri, multae optavere puellae: Idem cum tenui carptus defloruit ungui, Nulli illum pueri, nullae optavere puellae: Sic virgo, dum intacta manet, dum cara suis est; 45 Cum castum amisit polluto corpore florem, Nec pueris iocunda manet, nec cara puellis. Hymen o Hymenaee, Hymen ades o Hymenaee!

Vt vidua in nudo vitis quae nascitur arvo Numquam se extollit, numquam mitem educat uvam, 50 Sed tenerum prono deflectens pondere corpus Iam iam contingit summum radice flagellum; Hanc nulli agricolae, nulli coluere bubulci: At si forte eademst ulmo coniuncta marito, Multi illam agricolae, multi coluere bubulci: 55 Sic virgo dum intacta manet, dum inculta senescit; Cum par conubium maturo tempore adeptast, Cara viro magis et minus est invisa parenti. _Hymen o Hymenaee, Hymen ades o Hymenaee_! 58b

At tu ne pugna cum tali coniuge virgo. Non aequomst pugnare, pater cui tradidit ipse, 60 Ipse pater cum matre, quibus parere necessest. Virginitas non tota tuast, ex parte parentumst, Tertia pars patrist, pars est data tertia matri, Tertia sola tuast: noli pugnare duobus, Qui genero sua iura simul cum dote dederunt. 65 Hymen o Hymenaee, Hymen ades o Hymenaee!

LXII.

NUPTIAL SONG BY YOUTH AND DAMSELS.

(Epithalamium.)

_Youths._

Vesper is here, O youths, rise all; for Vesper Olympus Scales and in fine enfires what lights so long were expected! Time 'tis now to arise, now leave we tables rich laden, Now shall the Virgin come; now chaunt we the Hymenæus. Hymen O Hymenæus: Hymen here, O Hymenæus! 5

_Damsels._

View ye the Youths, O Maids unwed? Then rise to withstand them: Doubtless the night-fraught Star displays his splendour Oetéän. Sooth 'tis so; d'ye sight how speedily sprang they to warfare? Nor for a naught up-sprang: they'll sing what need we to conquer. Hymen O Hymenæus: Hymen here, O Hymenæus! 10

_Youths._

Nowise easy the palm for us (Companions!) be proffer'd, Lo! now the maidens muse and meditate matter of forethought Nor meditate they in vain; they muse a humorous something. Yet naught wonder it is, their sprites be wholly in labour. We bear divided thought one way and hearing in other: 15 Vanquish't by right we must be, since Victory loveth the heedful. Therefore at least d'ye turn your minds the task to consider, Soon shall begin their say whose countersay shall befit you. Hymen O Hymenæus: Hymen here, O Hymenæus!

_Damsels._

Hesperus! say what flame more cruel in Heaven be fanned? 20 Thou who the girl perforce canst tear from a mother's embraces, Tear from a parent's clasp her child despite of her clinging And upon love-hot youth bestowest her chastest of maidenhoods! What shall the foeman deal more cruel to city becaptured? Hymen O Hymenæus, Hymen here, O Hymenæus! 25

_Youths._

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 desirèd? 30 Hymen O Hymenæus, Hymen here, O Hymenæus!

_Damsels._

* * * * Hesperus! one of ourselves (Companions!) carried elsewhither * * * * _Hymen O Hymenæus, Hymen here, O Hymenæus!_

_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 Eöus. 35 Pleases the bevy unwed with feigned complaints to accuse thee. What if assail they whom their souls in secrecy cherish? Hymen O Hymenæus, Hymen here, O Hymenæus!

_Damsels._

E'en as a flow'ret born secluded in garden enclosèd, 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 Hymenæus, Hymen here, O Hymenæus!

_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 conjoinèd 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 Hymenæus, Hymen here, O Hymenæus!_

_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 Hymenæus: Hymen here, O Hymenæus!

YOUTHS.

Vesper is here, arise ye youths: Vesper at last has just borne aloft in the heavens his long-looked-for light. Now 'tis time to arise, now to leave the fattened tables, now comes the virgin, now is said the Hymenaeus. Hymen O Hymenaeus, Hymen hither O Hymenaeus!

_Maidens_.

Discern ye, O unwedded girls, the youths? Arise in response: forsooth the Star of Eve displays its Oetaean fires. Thus 'tis; see how fleetly have they leapt forth? Nor without intent have they leapt forth, they will sing what 'tis meet we surpass. Hymen O Hymenaeus, Hymen hither O Hymenaeus!

_Youths_.

Nor easily is for us, O comrades, the palm prepared; see ye how they talk together in deep thought. Nor in vain do they muse, they have what may be worthy of memory. Nor be wonder: for inwardly toil they with whole of their minds. Our minds one way, our ears another, we have divided: wherefore by right are we conquered, for victory loveth solicitude. So now your minds at the least turn ye hither, now their chant they begin, anon ye will have to respond. Hymen O Hymenaeus, Hymen hither O Hymenaeus!

_Maidens_.

Hesperus! what crueler light is borne aloft in the heavens? Thou who canst pluck the maid from her mother's enfolding, pluck from her mother's enfolding the firm-clinging maid, and canst give the chaste girl to the burning youngster. What more cruel could victors in vanquished city contrive? Hymen O Hymenaeus, Hymen hither O Hymenaeus!

_Youths_.

Hesperus! what more jocund light is borne aloft in the heavens? Thou who dost confirm with thy flame the marriage betrothals which the men had pledged, the parents had pledged of aforetime, nor may they be joined in completion before thy flame is borne aloft. What can the gods give more gladsome than that happy hour? Hymen O Hymenaeus, Hymen hither O Hymenaeus!

_Maidens_.

* * * * Hesperus from us, O comrades, has stolen one away * * * * _Hymen O Hymenaeus, Hymen hither O Hymenaeus!_

_Youths_.

* * * * For at thy advent a guard always keeps watch. Thieves lie in wait by night, whom often on thy return, O Hesperus, thou hap'st upon, when with thy changed name Eous. Yet it doth please the unwedded girls to carp at thee with plaints fictitious. But what if they carp at that which in close-shut mind they long for? Hymen O Hymenaeus, Hymen hither O Hymenaeus!

_Maidens_.

As grows the hidden flower in garden closed, to kine unknown, uprooted by no ploughshare, whilst the winds caress it, the sun makes it sturdy, and the shower gives it growth * * * * many a boy and many a girl longs for it: this same when pluckt, deflowered from slender stalklet, never a boy and never a girl doth long for it: so the virgin, while she stays untouched, so long is she dear to her folk; when she hath lost her chaste flower from her body profaned, nor to the boys stays she beauteous, nor is she dear to the girls. Hymen O Hymenaeus, Hymen hither O Hymenaeus!

_Youths_.

As the widowed vine which grows in naked field ne'er uplifts itself, ne'er ripens a mellow grape, but bending prone 'neath the weight of its tender body now and again its highmost bough touches with its root; this no husbandmen, no herdsmen will foster: but if this same chance to be joined with marital elm, it many husbandmen, many herdsmen will foster: so the virgin, whilst she stays untouched, so long does she age, unfostered; but when fitting union she obtain in meet time, dearer is she to her lord and less of a trouble to parent. _Hymen O Hymenaeus, Hymen hither O Hymenaeus!_

_Youths and Maidens_.

But struggle not 'gainst such a mate, O virgin. 'Tis improper to struggle, thou whose father hath handed thee o'er, that father together with thy mother to whom obedience is needed. Thy maidenhead is not wholly thine, in part 'tis thy parents': a third part is thy father's, a third part is given to thy mother, a third alone is thine: be unwilling to struggle against two, who to their son-in-law their rights together with dowry have given. Hymen O Hymenaeus, Hymen hither O Hymenaeus!

LXIII.

Super alta vectus Attis celeri rate maria Phrygium ut nemus citato cupide pede tetigit Adiitque opaca, silvis redimita loca deae, Stimulatus ibi furenti rabie, vagus animis, Devolsit ilei acuto sibi pondera silice. 5 Itaque ut relicta sensit sibi membra sine viro, Etiam recente terrae sola sanguine maculans Niveis citata cepit manibus leve typanum, Typanum, tuom Cybebe, tua, mater, initia, Quatiensque terga taurei teneris cava digitis 10 Canere haec suis adortast tremebunda comitibus. 'Agite ite ad alta, Gallae, Cybeles nemora simul, Simul ite, Dindymenae dominae vaga pecora, Aliena quae petentes velut exules loca Sectam meam executae duce me mihi comites 15 Rabidum salum tulistis truculentaque pelage Et corpus evirastis Veneris nimio odio, Hilarate erae citatis erroribus animum. Mora tarda mente cedat: simul ite, sequimini Phrygiam ad domum Cybebes, Phrygia ad nemora deae, 20 Vbi cymbalum sonat vox, ubi tympana reboant, Tibicen ubi canit Phryx curvo grave calamo, Vbi capita Maenades vi iaciunt ederigerae, Vbi sacra sancta acutis ululatibus agitant, Vbi suevit illa divae volitare vaga cohors: 25 Quo nos decet citatis celerare tripudiis.' Simul haec comitibus Attis cecinit notha mulier, Thiasus repente linguis trepidantibus ululat, Leve tympanum remugit, cava cymbala recrepant, Viridem citus adit Idam properante pede chorus. 30 Furibunda simul anhelans vaga vadit, animam agens, Comitata tympano Attis per opaca nemora dux, Veluti iuvenca vitans onus indomita iugi: Rapidae ducem sequuntur Gallae properipedem. Itaque ut domum Cybebes tetigere lassulae, 35 Nimio e labore somnum capiunt sine Cerere. Piger his labante langore oculos sopor operit: Abit in quiete molli rabidus furor animi. Sed ubi oris aurei Sol radiantibus oculis Lustravit aethera album, sola dura, mare ferum, 40 Pepulitque noctis umbras vegetis sonipedibus, Ibi Somnus excitam Attin fugiens citus abiit: Trepidante eum recepit dea Pasithea sinu. Ita de quiete molli rapida sine rabie Simul ipsa pectore Attis sua facta recoluit, 45 Liquidaque mente vidit sine queis ubique foret, Animo aestuante rusum reditum ad vada tetulit. Ibi maria vasta visens lacrimantibus oculis, Patriam allocuta maestast ita voce miseriter. 'Patria o mei creatrix, patria o mea genetrix, 50 Ego quam miser relinquens, dominos ut erifugae Famuli solent, ad Idae tetuli nemora pedem, Vt aput nivem et ferarum gelida stabula forem Et earum operta adirem furibunda latibula? Vbinam aut quibus locis te positam, patria, reor? 55 Cupit ipsa pupula ad te sibi dirigere aciem, Rabie fera carens dum breve tempus animus est. Egone a mea remota haec ferar in nemora domo? Patria, bonis, amicis, genitoribus abero? Abero foro, palaestra, stadio et guminasiis? 60 Miser a miser, querendumst etiam atque etiam, anime. Quod enim genus figuraest, ego non quod habuerim? Ego mulier, ego adolescens, ego ephebus, ego puer, Ego guminasi fui flos, ego eram decus olei: Mihi ianuae frequentes, mihi limina tepida, 65 Mihi floridis corollis redimita domus erat, Linquendum ubi esset orto mihi sole cubiculum. Ego nunc deum ministra et Cybeles famula ferar? Ego Maenas, ego mei pars, ego vir sterilis ero? Ego viridis algida Idae nive amicta loca colam? 70 Ego vitam agam sub altis Phrygiae columinibus, Vbi cerva silvicultrix, ubi aper nemorivagus? Iam iam dolet quod egi, iam iamque paenitet.' Roseis ut huic labellis sonitus celer abiit, Geminas deorum ad aures nova nuntia referens, 75 Ibi iuncta iuga resolvens Cybele leonibus Laevumque pecoris hostem stimulans ita loquitur. 'Agedum' inquit 'age ferox i, fac ut hunc furor _agitet_, Fac uti furoris ictu reditum in nemora ferat, Mea libere nimis qui fugere imperia cupit. 80 Age caede terga cauda, tua verbera patere, Fac cuncta mugienti fremitu loca retonent, Rutilam ferox torosa cervice quate iubam.' Ait haec minax Cybebe religatque iuga manu. Ferus ipse sese adhortans rapidum incitat animo, 85 Vadit, fremit, refringit virgulta pede vago. At ubi umida albicantis loca litoris adiit, Teneramque vidit Attin prope marmora pelagi, Facit impetum: illa demens fugit in nemora fera: Ibi semper omne vitae spatium famula fuit. 90 Dea magna, dea Cybebe, Didymei dea domina, Procul a mea tuos sit furor omnis, era, domo: Alios age incitatos, alios age rabidos.

LXIII.

THE ADVENTURES OF ATYS.