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. Such as in shades of thickest groves is seen,
  2. Such as remains when the sun flies away,
  3. Or when night's gone, and yet it is not day.
  4. This light to modest maids must be allow'd,
  5. Where shame may hope its guilty head to shroud.
  6. And now my love Corinna did appear,
  7. Loose on her neck fell her divided hair;
  8. Loose as her flowing gown, that wanton'd in the air.
  9. In such a garb, with such a grace and mien,
  10. To her rich bed came the Assyrian queen;
  11. So Lais looked when all the youth of Greece
  12. With adoration did her charms confess.
  13. Her envious gown to pull away I tried,
  14. But she resisted still, and still denied;
  15. But so resisted that she seem'd to be
  16. Unwilling to obtain the victory;
  17. So I at last an easy conquest had,
  18. Whilst my fair combatant herself betray'd.
  19. But when she naked stood before my eyes,
  20. Gods, with what charms did she my soul surprise!
  21. What snowy arms did I both see and feel!
  22. With what rich globes did her soft bosom swell!
  23. Plump as ripe clusters rose each glowing breast,
  24. Courting the hand, and suing to be press'd!
  25. What a smooth plain was on her belly spread,
  26. Where thousand little loves and graces play'd!
  27. What thighs! what legs ! but why strive I in vain,
  28. Each limb, each grace, each feature to explain
  29. One beauty did through her whole body shine;
  30. I saw, admir'd, and press'd it close to mine
  31. The rest who knows not? Thus entranc'd we lay,
  32. Till in each other's arms we died away;
  33. 0 give me such a noon, ye gods, to ev'ry day!
  1. Slave, if thou worthy of thy chains wouldst be,
  2. A grateful office do to love and me.
  3. Unbar the wicket, and a friend admit;
  4. The trouble is not much, nor favour great.
  5. I ask thee not to spread the foldings wide;
  6. Keep it at jar,-I'll softly by thee slide.
  7. I to love's labours have so long been us'd,
  8. My shapes are to a lath's lank size reduc'd.
  9. The smallest crevice will my bus'ness do,
  10. It cannot be so straight but I'll slip through.
  11. Love guides me when by night I walk the street,
  12. And when I grope my way directs my feet.
  13. By night I was a youth afraid to walk,
  14. Frighted by children and old nurses' talk;
  15. I wonder'd men could wander in the gloom,
  16. And kept, for fear of spirits, close at home.
  17. Love and his mother, when they knew my care,