Janus Secundus: Epithalamium

[1] Hour, little-sweet and voluptuous,
Hour of blandishments, of charm, of laughter,
Hour of delights, of jests, of whispers,
Hour of small sweet-things, and equal to the great

[5] Cum Diis et Ioue transigenda forte;
Hora qua poterat beatiorem
Nec Gnydi Dea sancta polliceri;
Nec qui cum pharetra pererrat orbem,
Curis gaudia delicata iniscens,

[5] When perhaps matters were to be settled with the gods and with Jove;
the hour in which she could be made more blessed
nor could the holy goddess of Gnydi promise it;
nor he who wanders the world with his quiver,
mingling delicate joys into cares,

[10] Penna splendidus aurea Cupido;
Magni pronuba nec soror Tonantis;
Nec qui floridulas Hymen puellas
Raptas e gremio tenace matrum
Inuoluit cupidis uiri lacertis

[10] Splendid, golden Cupid;
not the nuptial-matron nor the sister of the Great Thunderer;
nor he, Hymen, who wraps the blooming girls,
snatched from the tenacious bosom of mothers,
in the desirous arms of men

[15] Rupis incola floriger canorx,
Aduecta est, serie rotante caeli.
O felix iuuenis, puella felix!
Felix sponse, cul cupita flamma
Iam nunc in geminis quiescet ulnis,

[15] The cliff-dweller, flower-bearing and full of song,
has been brought in, by the sky’s revolving series.
O happy youth, happy girl!
Happy spouse, to whom a desirous flame
shall now already rest in twin arms,

[20] Puella aetheria beata forma,
Qualem magna Venus, uelitque Iuno,
Et quae casside Martia refulget
Sancto uertice procreata Pallas,
Si iunctae statuant adire ualles

[20] Aethereal maiden, blessed in form,
such as great Venus and desirous Juno would choose,
and such as Pallas, born from the sacred brow,
who gleams with a Martian casque,
if joined together they should decide to enter the valleys

[25] Umbrosas iterum uirentis Idae,
Qua spectanda uel haec, uel húc, uel illa,
Quouis iudicio superba malum
Victrix aureolum reportet astris.
O felix iuuenis, puella felix!

[25] To the shady glades again of green Idae,
Where to be beheld either this, or here, or that yonder,
By whatever judgment, may the proud apple,
Victorious, carry the little golden prize back to the stars.
O happy youth, O happy maiden!

[30] Felix sponsa, cui cupitus ardor
Affusus modo lectulo in beato,
Stringet colla tenacibus lacertis,
Insigni iuuenis uenustus ore,
Istis qui roseis tuis labellis,

[30] Happy bride, whose eager ardor
Poured but now upon the blessed little bed,
Will clasp the neck with tenacious arms,
The youth remarkable, charming in face,
He who with those your rosy little lips,

[35] Istis qui niueis tuis papillis,
Isto qui rutilante crine tactus,
Isto lumine qui loquace uictus,
Iampridem tacito uoratur igni,
Lentumque increpat usque et usque solem,

[35] To him by those snow-white nipples of yours,
to him touched by that ruddy hair,
to him subdued by that loquacious light,
long since he is devoured by a silent fire,
and he chides the slow sun again and again,

[40] Tardamque inuocat usque et usque lunam.
O felix iuuenis, puella felix I
Votis feruide sponse, parce uotis,
Et suspiria mitte, mitte questus,
Tempus accelerat suaue : mitis

[40] And she invokes the slow moon again and again.
O happy youth, O happy girl 1
Burning fervently with vows for your betrothed, spare your vows,
And send forth sighs, send forth complaints,
Time sweetly hastens: gentle

[45] Exaudit gemitus Venus suorum ;
Condit Cynthius ora, condit ora,
Seque gurgite perluens Ibero
Cedit noctiuagú locum Sorori.
Et quo gratior haud relucet ignis

[45] Venus hears the groans of her own;
Cynthius hides his face, hides his face,
and, bathing himself in the Iberian gurgle,
gives the noctivagous place to his Sister.
And where the fire is more pleasing it does not gleam back

[50] Coniunctis animis amore dulci,
Producit caput, emicatque caelo
Ductor Hesperus aureae cateruie.
O felix iuuenis, puella felix
Iam uirgo thalamum subibit, unde

[50] With joined souls and sweet love,
He lifts his head and springs forth to the sky,
Hesperus, leader of the golden retinue.
O happy youth, happy maiden,
Now the virgin will enter the bridal chamber, whence

[55] Ne uirgo redeat, marite, cura.
Iam uirgo niueis locata fulcris
Aduentum cupiet tuum, tremetque,
Perfusa ingenuo rubore malas
Forsan et lacrymis genx madebunt,

[55] Let the husband take care that the maiden not return.
Now the maiden, lodged on snowy pillows,
will long for your arrival, and will tremble,
her cheeks suffused with ingenuous blush;
perhaps even her cheeks will be wet with tears,

[60] Et suspiria fundet, et querelas.
At tu nil remoratus, et querelas,
Et suspiria, lacrymasque tolles,
Abstergens oculos tuo ore, dulce
Murmur pro querimoniis reponens.

[60] And she will pour forth sighs, and complaints,
But you, delaying nothing, will lift away complaints,
and sighs, and tears, wiping the eyes with your mouth, sweet
murmur replacing lamentations.

[65] O felix iuuenis, puella felix!
Ergo, membra ubi uirginis decorae
Felix candida lectulus fouebit,
Membra languidulo parata somno,
Et molli quoque te toro locatum,

[65] O happy youth, O happy maiden!
Then, when the limbs of the comely virgin
the fortunate fair little bed will cherish,
limbs prepared for a languid sleep,
and you likewise placed upon a soft couch,

[70] Supra purpureos beata reges,
Supra constituet Iouem Dione;
Mox te blandidicis parare rixis,
Mox te molliculae parare pugnae,
Motus occipies calore iusto

[70] Above the purple-clad kings, O blessed one,
Dione will set you above Jove;
Soon to make you fit for coaxing quarrels,
Soon to make you fit for soft little battles,
You will seize stirrings with a proper warmth

[75] Belli prospera signa non cruenti
Figens mille proteruus hic et illic,
Collo basia multa, multa malis,
Labris basia plura, plura ocellis.
Repugnabit, et improbum uocabit,

[75] The prosperous standards of war, unwet by blood,
fixing a thousand of them brazenly here and there,
many kisses upon the neck, many upon the cheeks,
more kisses upon the lips, still more upon the little eyes.
She will resist, and will call him wicked,

[80] Et dicet : « Satis est » tremente uote,
Arcebitque manu proterua labra,
Propelletque manu manum proteruam.
O noctem ter, et amplius beatam!
Pugnet strenua, pugnet illa! pasci

[80] And he will say: “Enough,” with a trembling vow,
and with his hand will ward off presumptuous lips,
and with his hand will thrust away a presumptuous hand.
O night thrice, and more, blessed!
Let the vigorous one fight, let that one fight!—to be fed

[85] Pugnando teneri uolunt Amores.
Pugnando tibi duplicatus ardor
Vires sufficiet nouas in arma;
Tune per candida colla, tune per illud
Quod certat ebori nitore pectus,

[85] By fighting the Loves wish to be held.
By fighting for you a doubled ardor
will furnish new strength for arms;
then through your fair neck, then through that
which vies with the sheen of ivory, the breast,

[90] Tune per crura tenella, perque uentrem,
Et quae proxima sunt et huit et illis,
Saltu uolue agili manum salacem,
Et tot millia iunge basiorum,
Quod caelum rutilos tenebit ignes.

[90] Then through tender thighs, and through the belly,
And those things nearest, both these and those too,
With a nimble leap roll thy wanton hand,
And join so many thousands of kisses,
That the heavens shall hold ruddy fires.

[95] O noctem quater et quater beatam!
Nec desint tibi blandulaeque uotes,
Et quzecunque iuuant perita uerba
Nec cum murmure sibili suaues,
Quales dant Zephyro sonante blandum

[95] O night four times and four times blessed!
Nor fail to you the flattering vows,
And whatever words skilled to please,
Nor sweet things with a murmuring hiss,
Such as they give to Zephyr, sounding, a gentle breeze.

[100] Frondes; quale columba, quale cycnus
Annosus moriente spirat ore,
Donec uicta potentibus sagittis,
Et cúco Pueri uolantis igne,
Paulatim minus et minus seuera,

[100] Leaves; such as a dove, such as a swan
The aged one breathes from a dying mouth,
Until, conquered by powerful arrows,
And with the cuckoo of the boy flying with fire,
Gradually less and less severe,

[105] Ponet purpureum toro pudorem,
Collum in brachia nexuosa dedens,
Collo brachia nexuosa stringens.
O noctem quater, o quater beatam!
Tune, tune oscula delicata sumes,

[105] She will lay purple modesty upon the couch,
Giving her neck into knotty, entwining arms,
The knotty arms clasping about the neck.
O night fourfold, O fourfold blessed!
Then, then you will take delicate kisses,

[110] Nullis contemerata quae rapinis
Haerebunt uario morata nexu.
Tune lusus similes, paresque uirgo
Reddet delicias, et os hiulcum
Iampridem patulo licenter ori

[110] Which, despised by no plunder, will cling, held back by a diverse bond.
Then similar games, and the matched maiden,
will give back delights, and the sweet kiss
long since freely to the wide mouth.

[115] Committens. animae libidinoso
Fragrantis cupidum beabit haustu.
Mox Insu quoque molliore ludens,
Dicet blanditias suauiores,
Emittet digitos licentiores,

[115] Entrusting herself to a libidinous soul,
She will sip the desirous, fragrant draught.
Soon Insu too, playing more gently,
Will utter sweeter blandishments,
Will send forth freer, more licentious fingers,

[120] Finget nequitiam salaciorem.
O noctem nimis et nimis beatam!
Tune arma expedienda, tune ad arma
Et Venus uocat, et uocat Cupido.

[120] She will feign a more salacious nequity.
O night, excessively and excessively blessed!
Then — arms to be made ready, then to arms,
and Venus calls, and Cupido calls.

Tune in uulnera grata proruendum.

Now it is time to rush forward into welcome wounds.

[125] Huc, illuc agilis feratur hasta,
Quam crebro furibunda uerset ictu
Non Martis soror, ast amica Martis,
Semper laeta nouo cruore, Cypris.
Nec quies lateri laborioso

[125] Hither, thither the agile spear is borne,
Which with frequent, frantic stroke she wields—
Not sister of Mars, but friend of Mars,
Ever joyful with fresh gore, Cypris.
Nor is there rest for the laborious flank

[130] Detur, mobilibus nec ulla coxis,
Donec deficiente uoce anhela,
Donec deficientibus medullis,
Membris languidulis, madens uterque
Sudabit uarii liquoris undas.

[130] Let it be granted that the nimble hips have no respite,
Until, panting, the voice fails,
Until the marrows fail,
Each languid limb, both dripping,
Shall sweat waves of various liquid.

[135] O noctem nimis, o nimis beatam!
Sudate ut libet, et diesque longas,
Noctesque exigite impotente lusu ;
Et breui date liberosque dulces,
Et longo ordine blandulos nepotes,

[135] O night excessive, O excessively blessed!
Sweat as you please, and demand long days,
and nights with unbridled play;
and in brief grant sweet children,
and in a long succession flattering grandsons,

[140] Qua uobis senii minuta turba
Olim sollicitos leuabit annos,
Arcebit querulos toro dolores,
Languentum tremulos fouebit artus,
Componet tumulo pios parentes.

[140] Which small throng of senility for you
will one day lighten anxious years,
will drive complaining pains from the couch,
will cherish the trembling limbs of the languishing,
will lay pious parents in a tomb.

[145] O felix iuuenis, puella felix!

[145] O happy youth, O happy girl!