Nuptial Song
Youths . Vesper is here, O youths, rise all; for Vesper Olympus
Scales and in fine enfires what lights so long were expected.
Time 't is now to arise, now leave we tables rich-laden,
Now shall the Virgin come; now chant we the Hymenaeus:
Hymen O Hymenaeus, Hymen here, O Hymenaeus!
Damsels . View ye the Youths, O Maids unwed? Then rise to withstand them:
Doubtless the night-fraught Star displays his splendour oetean.
Sooth 't is 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 Hymenaeus, Hymen here, O Hymenaeus!
Youths . Nowise easy the palm for us (Companions!) be proffered,
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:
Vanquisht 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 Hymenaeus, Hymen here, O Hymenaeus!
Damsels . Hesperus! say what flame more cruel in Heaven be fanned?
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 Hymenaeus, Hymen here, O Hymenaeus!
Youths . Hesperus! say what flame more gladsome in Heaven 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 an hour so desired?
Hymen O Hymenaeus, Hymen here, O Hymenaeus!
Damsels . E'en as a floweret born secluded in garden enclosed,
Unto the flock unknown and ne'er uptorn by the ploughshare,
Soothed by the zephyrs and strengthened by suns and nourisht 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 never a maiden:
Thus while the virgin be whole, such while she 's the darling of kinsfolk;
Yet no sooner is lost her bloom from her body polluted,
Neither to youths is she 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 mellow grape-bunch,
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 an elm as a husband,
Tends her many a hind and tends her many a herdsman:
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 maidenhead 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.
Hymen O Hymenaeus, Hymen here, O Hymenaeus!
Scales and in fine enfires what lights so long were expected.
Time 't is now to arise, now leave we tables rich-laden,
Now shall the Virgin come; now chant we the Hymenaeus:
Hymen O Hymenaeus, Hymen here, O Hymenaeus!
Damsels . View ye the Youths, O Maids unwed? Then rise to withstand them:
Doubtless the night-fraught Star displays his splendour oetean.
Sooth 't is 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 Hymenaeus, Hymen here, O Hymenaeus!
Youths . Nowise easy the palm for us (Companions!) be proffered,
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:
Vanquisht 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 Hymenaeus, Hymen here, O Hymenaeus!
Damsels . Hesperus! say what flame more cruel in Heaven be fanned?
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 Hymenaeus, Hymen here, O Hymenaeus!
Youths . Hesperus! say what flame more gladsome in Heaven 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 an hour so desired?
Hymen O Hymenaeus, Hymen here, O Hymenaeus!
Damsels . E'en as a floweret born secluded in garden enclosed,
Unto the flock unknown and ne'er uptorn by the ploughshare,
Soothed by the zephyrs and strengthened by suns and nourisht 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 never a maiden:
Thus while the virgin be whole, such while she 's the darling of kinsfolk;
Yet no sooner is lost her bloom from her body polluted,
Neither to youths is she 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 mellow grape-bunch,
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 an elm as a husband,
Tends her many a hind and tends her many a herdsman:
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 maidenhead 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.
Hymen O Hymenaeus, Hymen here, O Hymenaeus!
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