devoutly cherish'd,
By foul roads, or in every shameful alley,
Strains the vigorous issue of the people. 5

LIX.

Poor Rufa from Bononia Rufulus gallants,
Menenius' errant lady, she that in grave-yards
(You've seen her often) snaps from every pile her meal,
When hotly chasing dusty loaves the fire rolls down,
She felt some half-shorn corpseman and his hand's big blow. 5

LX.

Hadst thou a Libyan lioness on heights all stone,
A Scylla, barking wolvish at the loins' last verge,
To bear thee, O black-hearted, O to shame forsworn,
That unto supplication in my last sad need
Thou mightst not harken, deaf to ruth, a beast, no man? 5

LXI.

God, on verdurous Helicon
Dweller, child of Urania,
Thou that draw'st to the man the fair
Maiden, O Hymenaeus, O
Hymen, O Hymenaeus: 5

Wreathe thy brows in amaracus'
Fragrant blossom; an aureat
Veil be round thee; approach, in all
Joy, approach with a luminous
Foot, a sandal of amber. 10

Come, for jolly the time, awake.
Chant in melody musical
Hymns of bridal; on earth a foot
Beating, hands to the winds above
Torches oozily swinging. 15

Such, as she that on Idaly
Venus dwelleth, appear'd before
Him, the Phrygian arbiter,
So with Mallius happily
Happy Junia weddeth. 20

Like some myrtle of Asia
Bright in airily blossoming
Boughs, the wood Hamadryades
Nurse with showery dew, to be
Theirs, a tender plaything. 25

So come to us in haste; away,
Leave thy Thespian hollow-arch'd
Rock, muse-haunted, Aonian,
Drench'd in spray from aloft, the cold
Drift of Nymph Aganippe. 30

Homeward summon a sovereign
Wife most passionate, holden in
Love fast prisoner: ivy not
Closer closes an elm around,
Interchangeably trailing. 35

You too with him, O you for whom
Comes as joyous a time, your own.
Virgins stainless of heart, arise.
Chant in unison, Hymen,