DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.3483#0065
22
Thee anxious parents chief intreat
With bliss each darling child to crown;
And virgins, in some sweet retreat,
To thee unloose the magic zone ;
To thee the bride, with listening fears,
,Sighs, as the bridegroom's steps she hears*.
Hither, ye boys, your torches bring,
She comes in saffron veil array'd ;
s She comes ! ye boys, your pseans sing;
Go, and with transport greet the maid !
God of the tender nuptial tye,
O hither, sacred Hymen, fly !
Soon shall the wanton song be heard,
And thou that hast so frequent crown'd
The passions of thy lustful lord,
Throw to the boys thy nuts aroundf ;
For see, thy master, virtuous grown,
Disdains such worthless love to own.
Enter, thou happy omen'd fair!
The gate with polish'd labour bright,
And o'er the untouch'd threshold bear
Thy glittering feet of golden lightt.
* Virgins wore a girdle, generally of wool, for wool by the ancients was supposed to excite love, which the
bridegroom the first night unbound in bed. This custom is of Greek origin, and was first instituted by Lycurgus.
Moschus records it in the story of Jupiter and Europa. Idyl 2. See Fawkes's version.
Jove strait assum'd another form and air,
And loos'd her zone.
f It was usual for the mirthful friends of the new married couple to sing obscene verses, which were tolerated
on this occasion, and called Fescennine, from having their origin in Fescennia, a town of Campania, though some
say they were so termed from their tendency to drive away noxious spells, fascina, or fascination, which the en-
vious might have used to destroy conjugal bliss. The custom of throwing nuts was of Athenian origin—perhaps it
was meant to divert the attention of the young guests from the new married couple, by the noise the scrambling
boys made. It imported, according to some, the renouncing of childhood, for children had many games with
nuts. .
} The bride, entering her husband's house, was lifted over the threshold that she might not touch it: for this
various reasons have been assigned; the most plausible of which are, that it was either because the threshold was
sacred to Vesta, the goddess of chastity, who might be offended at her nuptials, or because she should avoid touch-
Thee anxious parents chief intreat
With bliss each darling child to crown;
And virgins, in some sweet retreat,
To thee unloose the magic zone ;
To thee the bride, with listening fears,
,Sighs, as the bridegroom's steps she hears*.
Hither, ye boys, your torches bring,
She comes in saffron veil array'd ;
s She comes ! ye boys, your pseans sing;
Go, and with transport greet the maid !
God of the tender nuptial tye,
O hither, sacred Hymen, fly !
Soon shall the wanton song be heard,
And thou that hast so frequent crown'd
The passions of thy lustful lord,
Throw to the boys thy nuts aroundf ;
For see, thy master, virtuous grown,
Disdains such worthless love to own.
Enter, thou happy omen'd fair!
The gate with polish'd labour bright,
And o'er the untouch'd threshold bear
Thy glittering feet of golden lightt.
* Virgins wore a girdle, generally of wool, for wool by the ancients was supposed to excite love, which the
bridegroom the first night unbound in bed. This custom is of Greek origin, and was first instituted by Lycurgus.
Moschus records it in the story of Jupiter and Europa. Idyl 2. See Fawkes's version.
Jove strait assum'd another form and air,
And loos'd her zone.
f It was usual for the mirthful friends of the new married couple to sing obscene verses, which were tolerated
on this occasion, and called Fescennine, from having their origin in Fescennia, a town of Campania, though some
say they were so termed from their tendency to drive away noxious spells, fascina, or fascination, which the en-
vious might have used to destroy conjugal bliss. The custom of throwing nuts was of Athenian origin—perhaps it
was meant to divert the attention of the young guests from the new married couple, by the noise the scrambling
boys made. It imported, according to some, the renouncing of childhood, for children had many games with
nuts. .
} The bride, entering her husband's house, was lifted over the threshold that she might not touch it: for this
various reasons have been assigned; the most plausible of which are, that it was either because the threshold was
sacred to Vesta, the goddess of chastity, who might be offended at her nuptials, or because she should avoid touch-