Amores

Ovid

Ovid. Ovid's Art of Love (in three Books), the Remedy of Love, the Art of Beauty, the Court of Love, the History of Love, and Amours. Dryden, John, et al., translator. New York: Calvin Blanchard, 1855.

  1. These conquer for thee, Love, and these alone,
  2. Thy mother, from the sky thy pomp shall grace,
  3. And scatter sweetest roses in thy face:
  4. There glorious Love shall ride, profusely dress'd
  5. With all the richest jewels of the east:
  6. Rich gems thy quiver, and thy wheels infold,
  7. And hide the poorness of the baser gold.
  8. Then thou shalt conquer many, then.thy darts
  9. Shall scatter thousand wounds on tender hearts:
  10. Thy shafts themselves will fly, thy neighb'ring fire
  11. Will catch mens' breasts, and kindle warm desire.
  12. Thus conqu'ring Bacchus looks in Indian groves,
  13. He drawn by tigers, thou by murm'ring doves.
  14. Well then, since I too can increase thy train,
  15. Spend not thy force on me, and rage in vain;
  16. Look on thy kinsman Caesar's happy slaves,
  17. The same victorious arm that conquers, saves.
  1. Be just, dear maid, an equal passion prove,
  2. Or show me cause why I should ever love.
  3. I do not at your cold disdain repine,
  4. Nor ask your love, do you but suffer mine.
  5. I dare not aim at more exalted bliss,
  6. And Venus will bestow her vot'ry this.
  7. Take hin, who will for endless ages serve:
  8. Take him whose faithful flame will never swerve
  9. Though no illustrious names my race adorn;
  10. Who am but of equestrian order born;
  11. Though a few ploughs serve my paternal fields,
  12. Nor my small table many dishes yields;
  13. Yet Bacchus, Phoebus, and the tuneful nine,
  14. Are all my friends, and to my side incline,
  15. And love's great god, at last, will make me thine.
  16. Heav'n knows, dear maid, I love no other fair;
  17. In thee lives all my love, my heav'n lies there.
  18. Oh! may I by indulgent Fate's decree,
  19. With thee lead all my life, and die with thee.
  20. Thy beauties yield me my transporting theme;
  21. And while I celebrate thy charming name,
  22. My verse shall be as sacred as my flame.
  23. Jove's sev'ral rapes, his injur'd Io's wrongs,
  24. Are made immortal in his poet's songs.
  25. Verse still reveals where Leda's flames began,
  26. Rais'd by the secret godhead in the swan,
  27. The story of the rape Europa bore,
  28. Shall last while winds shall rage, or waters roar.
  29. Your name shall live like theirs, while verse endures,
  30. And mine be ever writ, and read with yours.
  1. Your husband will be with us at the treat,
  2. May that be the last supper he shall eat.
  3. And am poor I, a guest invited there,
  4. Only to see, while he may touch the fair?
  5. To see you kiss, and hug your nauseous lord,
  6. While his lewd hand descends below the board?
  7. No wonder that Hippodamia's charms,
  8. At such a sight, the Centaurs urg'd to arms:
  9. That in a rage, they threw their cups aside,
  10. Assail'd the bridegroom, and would force the bride.
  11. I am not half a horse, (I would I were :)
  12. Yet hardly can from you my hands forbear.
  13. Take, then, my counsel; which observ'd, may be,
  14. Of some importance both to you and me.
  15. Be sure to come before your man be there,
  16. There's nothing can be done, but come howe'er.
  17. Sit next him, (that belongs to decency;)
  18. But tread upon my foot in passing by.
  19. Read in my looks what silently they speak,
  20. And slily, with your eyes, your answer make.
  21. My lifted eye-brow shall declare my pain,
  22. My right hand to his fellow shall complain;
  23. And on the back a letter shall design,
  24. Beside a note that shall be writ in wine.
  25. Whene'er you think upon our last embrace,
  26. With your fore-finger gently touch your face.
  27. If any word of mine offend my dear,
  28. Pull with your hand the velvet of your ear;
  29. If you are pleas'd with what I do or say,
  30. Handle your rings, or vith your fingers play.
  31. As suppliants use at altars, hold the board,
  32. Whene'er you wish the devil may take your lord.
  33. When he fills for you, never touch the cup,
  34. But bid th' officious cuckold drink it up:
  35. The waiter on those services employ;
  36. Drink you, and I will snatch it from the boy,
  37. Watching the part where your sweet mouth hath been,
  38. And thence, with eager lips, will suck it in.
  39. If he, with clownish manners, thinks it fit
  40. To taste, and offer you the nasty bit,
  41. Reject his greasy kindness, and restore
  42. Th' unsav'ry morsel he had chew'd before.
  43. Nor let his arms embrace your neck, nor rest
  44. Your tender cheek upon his hairy breast;
  45. Let not his hand within your bosom stray,
  46. And rudely with your pretty bubbies play.
  47. But, above all, let him no kiss receive,
  48. That's an offence I never can forgive;
  49. Do not, oh! do not that sweet mouth resign,
  50. Lest I rise up in arms, and cry 'tis mine.
  51. I shall thrust in betwixt, and void of fear
  52. The manifest adult'rer will appear.
  53. These things are plain to sight, but more I doubt
  54. What you conceal beneath your petticoat;
  55. Take not his leg between your tender thighs,
  56. Nor with your hand provoke my foe to rise.
  57. How many love inventions I deplore,
  58. Which I myself have practis'd all before !
  59. How oft have I been forc'd the robe to lift
  60. In company; to make a homely shift
  61. For a bare bout, ill huddled o'er in haste,
  62. While o'er my side the fair her mantle cast!
  63. You to your husband shall not be so kind,
  64. But lest you should, your mantle leave behind.
  65. Encourage him to tope, but kiss him not,
  66. Nor mix one drop of water in his pot.
  67. If he be fuddled well, and snores apace,
  68. Then we may take advice from time and place.
  69. When all depart, while compliments are loud,
  70. Be sure to mix among the thickest crowd;
  71. There I will be, and there we cannot miss,
  72. Perhaps to grubble, or at least to kiss.
  73. Alas, what length of labor I employ,