Ars Amatoria; or, The Art Of Love: Literally Translated into English Prose, with Copious Notes — John Shaqi
Ars Amatoria; or, The Art Of Love: Literally Translated into English Prose, with Copious NotesOvid
General
Ars Amatoria; or, The Art Of Love: Literally Translated into English Prose, with Copious Notes
Ovid
Latin poetry -- Adaptations; Latin poetry -- Translations into English
With a little stick, for by chance he was holding a stick, he depicted
on the firm shore the subject on which she was enquiring. "This is
Troy," said he; and the walls he drew on the shore; "This must be Simois
for thee, and suppose these to be my tents. There was a plain," and here
he drew the plain, "which we moistened with the blood of Dolon, [917]
while, as a spy, he was longing for the Hæmonian horses. [918] There
were the tents of the Sithonian Rhesus; in this direction was I borne
back again by the captured steeds." And many other things was he
depicting, when the waves suddenly carried off both Pergamus and the
tents of Rhesus together with their chief. Then the Goddess said, "Dost
thou behold how famous names these waves have swept away, which thou
dost trust will be favorable to thee about to depart?"
Come then, with hesitation, feel confidence in beauty so deceiving,
whoever you are; or else possess something of more value than
comeliness. A beseeming courtesy especially enlists the feelings;
rudeness and harsh language promote hatred. We dislike the hawk, because
it is always living in warfare; the wolves too, that are wont to rush
upon the startled flocks. But the swallow, because it is gentle, is
exempt from the snares of men; and the Chaonian bird [919] has the
turrets for it to inhabit.
Afar lie all strife and contentions of the abusive tongue; with sweet
words must gentle love be cherished. With strife let both wives
persecute their husbands, and husbands their wives; and, each in their
turn, let them ever be thinking that they must resort to law. [920] This
is the part of wives; strife is the dowry of the wife. Let the mistress
ever hear the accents that she longs for. At the bidding of no law have
you come to live together; in your case 'tis love that performs the
duties of the law. Bring soft caresses, and words that delight the ear,
that she may _ever_ be joyous at your approach.
I do not come as the instructor of the wealthy in Love; he who makes
presents has no need of my experience. He who says, whenever he pleases,
"Accept this," has a genius of his own. To him do I yield: he has
greater attractions than have any discoveries of mine. I am the
instructor of the poor, because, as a poor man, I have been in love.
When I could not give presents, I gave verses. [921] Let the poor man
love with caution, let the poor man stand in fear of bad language, and
let him _put up with many a thing, not to be endured by the rich_.
I remember that once, when in a rage, I disarranged the hair of my
mistress; of how many a day did that anger deprive me! I do not think I
did, and I did not see that I had, torn her tunic, but she said so, and
at my cost it was replaced. But you who are wise, avoid the errors
of your instructor; and stand in awe of the punishment of my
transgressions.
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