dots-menu
×

Home  »  Poetica Erotica  »  The Rendezvous

T. R. Smith, comp. Poetica Erotica: Rare and Curious Amatory Verse. 1921–22.

The Rendezvous

By Gaius Valerius Catullus (c. 84–c. 54 B.C.)
 
(Anonymous translation)

MY Hypsithilla, charming fair,
My life, my soul, ah! hear my prayer:
Thy grateful summons quickly send,
And bless at noon, with joy, thy friend.
And if my fair one will comply,        5
And not her sighing swain deny,
Take care the door be then unbarr’d,
And let no spy be on the guard.
And thou, the aim of my desire,
Attend at home my amorous fire.        10
Prepare thy bosom to receive
All that so much love can give:
Prepare to meet repeated joy,
Continued bliss without alloy;
Dissolving still in thy dear arms,        15
Still raised by thy reviving charms,
To onsets fresh of sprightly pleasure,
Tumultuous joy beyond all measure.
But dally not with my desire,
Nor quash with thy delays my fire.        20
Bursting with love upon my couch I lie,
Forestalling with desire the distant joy.