THE VIGIL OF VENUS. WRITTEN IN THE TIME OF JULIUS CÆSAR, AND BY SOME ASCRIBED TO CATULLUS. "LET those love now, who never loved before; And ties their meeting tops with wreaths of flowers; "Let these love now, who never loved before; "Let those love now, who never loved before; Let those who always loved, now love the more." She paints the purple year with varied show, Tips the green gem, and makes the blossom glow. She makes the turgid buds receive the breeze, Expand to leaves, and shade the naked trees. When gathering damps the misty nights diffuse, She sprinkles all the morn with balmy dews; Bright trembling pearls depend at every spray, And, kept from falling, seem to fall away. A glossy freshness hence the rose receives, And blushes sweet through all her silken leaves; (The drops descending through the silent night, While stars serenely roll their golden light,) Close till the morn, her humid veil she holds ; Then, deck'd with virgin pomp, the flower unfolds. Soon will the morning blush: ye maids! prepare; In rosy garlands bind your flowing hair; 'Tis Venus' plant: the blood fair Venus shed, O'er the gay beauty pour'd immortal red; From love's soft kiss a sweet ambrosial smell Was taught for ever on the leaves to dwell; From gems, from flames, from orient rays of light The richest lustre makes her purple bright; And she to-morrow weds; the sporting gale Unties her zone, she bursts the verdant veil; Through all her sweets the rifling lover flies, And as he breathes, her glowing fires arise. "Let those love now, who never loved before; Let those who always loved, now love the more." Now fair Dione to the myrtle grove Sends the gay nymphs, and sends her tender Love. His torch extinct, his quiver useless hung, "Let those love now, who never loved before; Chaste Delia! grant our suit! or shun the wood, Nor stain this sacred lawn with savage blood. Venus, O Delia! if she could persuade, Would ask thy presence; might she ask a maid.' Here cheerful choirs for three auspicious nights With songs prolong the pleasurable rites: Here crowds in measures lightly-decent rove; Or seek by pairs the covert of the grove, Where meeting greens for arbours arch above, And mingling flowerets strow the scenes of love: Here dancing Ceres shakes her golden sheaves: Here Bacchus revels, deck'd with viny leaves: Here Wit's enchanting god, in laurel crown'd, Wakes all the ravish'd hours with silver sound. Ye fields, ye forests, own Dione's reign, And Delia, huntress Delia, shun the plain. "Let those love now, who never loved before; Let those who always loved, now love the more.” Gay with the bloom of all her opening year, The queen at Hybla bids her throne appear; And there presides, and there the favourite band (Her smiling Graces) share the great command. Now, beauteous Hybla! dress thy flowery beds With all the pride the lavish season sheds; Now all thy colours, all thy fragrance yield, And rival Enna's aromatic field. To fill the presence of the gentle court From every quarter rural nymphs resort. From woods, from mountains, from their humble vales, From waters curling with the wanton gales. Pleased with the joyful train, the laughing queen In circles seats them round the bank of green; And 'lovely girls, (she whispers) guard your hearts; My boy, though stripp'd of arms, abounds in arts.' "Let those love now, who never loved before; And those who always loved, now love the more." Let tender grass in shaded alleys spread, "Let those love now, who never loved before; Decoy'd by shows the Sabine dames she led, How long in coming is my lovely Spring! And when shall I, and when the swallow sing? |