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. Which is not to the meanest Roman known.
  2. 'Twas Diomede, who first a goddess struck,
  3. I from his hand that curs'd example took;
  4. But he was far less criminal than I,
  5. I was a lover, he an enemy.
  6. March like a conqueror in triumph now,
  7. With laurel wreaths encompassing your brow,
  8. And render to the mighty gods your vow:
  9. So, as you pass, th' attending gazing crowd,
  10. By their applause shall speak your courage loud:
  11. Let your sad captive in the front appear,
  12. With streaming cheeks, and with dishevell'd hair.
  13. Such lips were form'd for kinder words than these,
  14. Wounds made by lovers' furious ecstasies.
  15. Though like a torrent I was hurried on,
  16. A slave to passion which I could not shun,
  17. I might have only pierc'd her tender ear
  18. With threatening language, such as virgins fear.
  19. Fear having chill'd the current of her blood,
  20. She pale as Parian marble statue stood;
  21. Tears, which suspense did for a while restrain,
  22. Gush'd forth, and down her cheeks the deluge ran.
  23. As when the sun does by a powerful beam
  24. Dissolve the frost, it runs into a stream.
  25. The lamentable objects struck me dead,
  26. And tears of blood to quench those tears I shed;
  27. Thrice at her feet the prostrate suppliant fell,
  28. And thrice did she repulse the criminal.
  29. What would I not your anger to abate,
  30. Redeem your favour, or remove your hate?
  31. To your revenge no means or method spare;
  32. Revenge, alas! is easy to the fair.
  1. There is a bawd renown'd in Venus' wars,
  2. Aud dreadful still with honorable scars;
  3. Her youth and beauty, craft and guile supply,
  4. Sworn foe to all degrees of chastity.
  5. Dypsas, who first taught love-sick maids the way
  6. To cheat the bridegroom on the wedding-day,
  7. And then a hundred subtle tricks devis'd,
  8. Wherewith the am'rous theft might be disguis'd;
  9. Of herbs and spells she tries the guilty force,
  10. The poison of a mare that goes to horse.
  11. Cleaving the midnight air upon a switch,
  12. Some for a bawd, most take her for a witch.
  13. Each morning sees her reeling to her bed,
  14. Her native blue o'ercome with drunken red:
  15. Her ready tongue ne'er wants a useful lie,
  16. Soft moving words, nor charming flattery.
  17. Thus I o'erheard her to my Lucia speak:
  18. "Young Damon's heart wilt thou for ever break
  19. He long has lov'd thee, and by me he sends
  20. To learn thy motions, which he still attends;
  21. If to the park thou go'st, the plays are ill;
  22. If to the plays, he thinks the air would kill.
  23. The other day he gaz'd upon thy face,
  24. As he would grow a statue in the place;
  25. And who indeed does not? like a new star,
  26. Beauty like thine strikes wonder from afar.
  27. Alas! methinks thou art ill-dress'd to-night;
  28. This point's too poor; thy necklace is not right;