Page:The poems of Gaius Valerius Catullus - Francis Warre Cornish.djvu/117



left hand held the distaff clothed with soft wool; then the right hand lightly drawing out the threads with upturned fingers shaped them, then with downward thumb twirled the spindle poised with rounded 3' whorl; and so with their teeth they still plucked the threads and made the work even. Bitten ends of wool clung to their dry lips, which had before stood out from the smooth yarn: and at their feet soft fleeces of white-shining wool were kept safe in baskets of osier. They then, as they struck the wool, 2 ° sang with clear voice, and thus poured forth the fates in divine chant, chant, which no length of time shall prove untruthful.

' O thou who crownest high renown with great ' deeds of virtue, bulwark of Emathian power, famed ' for thy son to be, receive the soothtelling oracle 2 5 ' which on this happy day the Sisters reveal to thee; ' but do ye run, drawing the woof-threads which the ' fates follow, ye spindles, run.

' Soon will Hesperus come to thee, Hesperus, who ' brings longed-for gifts to the wedded, will come with 'happy star thy wife, to shed over thy spirit soul- 33° 'quelling love, and join with thee restful slumbers, ' laying her smooth arms under thy strong neck. ' Run, drawing the woof-threads, ye spindles, run.

' No house ever covered such loves as these; no ' love ever joined lovers in such a bond as links 'Thetis and Peleus, heart in heart. Run, drawing ' the woof-threads, ye spindles, run.

' There shall be born to you a son that knows ' not fear, Achilles, known to his enemies not by his ' back but by his stout breast; who right often 34° ' winner in the contest of the wide-ranging race shall ' outstrip the flame-fleet footsteps of the flying hind. ' Run, drawing the woof-threads, ye spindles, run.