The VIGIL of VENUS.

Written in the time of JULIUS CESAR, and by fome afcribed to CATULLUS.

L

ET thofe love now, who never lov'd before,

Let thofe who always lov'd, now love the more.

The spring, the new, the warb'ling spring appears, The youthful season of reviving years;

In fpring the loves enkindle mutual heats,

The feather'd nation chuse their tuneful mates,
The trees grow fruitful with descending rain,
And dreft in diff'ring greens adorn the plain.
She comes; to-morrow beauty's empress roves
Thro' walks that winding run within the groves;
She twines the shooting myrtle into bow'rs,
And ties their meeting tops with wreaths of flow'rs,
Then rais'd fublimely on her easy throne
From nature's powerful dictates draws her own.
Let thofe love now, who never lov'd before,
Let those who always lov'd, now love the more.

'Twas

Tunc liquore de fuperno, fpumeo ponti è globo,

Cærulas inter catervas, inter et bipedes equos,

Fecit undantem Dionen de maritis imbribus.

Cras amet, qui numquam amavit; quique amavit,

cras amet.

Ipfa gemmas purpurantem pingit annum floribus,

Ipfa furgentis papillas de favonî spiritu,

Urguet in toros tepentes; ipfa roris lucidi,

Noctis aura quem relinquit, fpargit umentis aquas,

Et micant lacrymæ trementes decidivo pondere.
Gutta præceps orbe parvo fuftinet cafus fuos.

In pudorem florulentæ prodiderunt purpuræ.
Umor ille, quem ferenis aftra rorant noctibus.

Mane

i

'Twas on that day which faw the teeming flood
Swell round, impregnate with celestial blood;
Wand'ring in circles ftood the finny crew,
The midft was left a void expanfe of blue,
Their parent ocean work'd with heaving throes.
And dropping wet the fair Dione rose.

Let thofe love now, who never lov'd before,
Let those who always lov'd, now love the more.

She paints the purpled year with vary'd show,
Tips the green gem, and makes the blossom glow,
She makes the turgid buds receive the breeze,
Expand to leaves, and fhade the naked trees.
When gath'ring damps the misty nights diffuse,
She sprinkles all the morn with balmy dews;
Bright trembling pearls depend at ev'ry spray,
And kept from falling, seem to fall away.
A gloffy freshness hence the rofe receives,
And blushes fweet thro' all her filken leaves;
(The drops descending thro' the filent night,
While ftars ferenely roll their golden light,)

Mane virgines papillas folvit umenti peplo.

Ipfa juffit mane ut udæ virgines nubant rofæ

Fufæ prius de cruore deque amoris ofculis,

Deque gemmis, deque flammis, deque folis purpuris.

Cras ruborem qui latebat veste tectus igneâ,

Unica marito nodo non pudebit folvere.

Cras amet, qui numquam amavit; quique amavit,

cras amet.

Ipfa nimfas diva luco juffit ire myrteo

Et puer comes puellis. Nec tamen credi poteft

Effe amorem feriatum, fi fagittas vexerit.

Ite nimfæ pofuit arma, feriatus eft amor.

Juffus

Close till the morn, her humid veil she holds;
Then deckt with virgin pomp the flow'r unfolds.
Soon will the morning blush :
: ye maids!

In rofy garlands bind your flowing hair

prepare,

'Tis Venus' plant: the blood fair Venus shed,
O'er the gay Beauty pour'd immortal red;

From Love's foft kiss a sweet Ambrofial finell
Was taught for ever on the leaves to dwell;
From gemms, from flames, from orient rays of light
The richest luftre makes her purple bright;
And she to morrow weds; the sporting gale
Unties her zone, fhe burfts the verdant veil ;
Thro' all her sweets the rifling lover flies,
And as he breathes, her glowing fires arife.
Let thofe love now, who never lov'd before,

Let thofe who always lov'd, now love the more.
Now fair Dione to the myrtle grove

Sends the gay Nymphs, and fends her tender Love.

And shall they venture? Is it safe to go?

While Nymphs have hearts, and Cupid wears a bow?