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. Sure I am less than these,-then what can bring
  2. Disgrace to me, that so became a king !
  3. But when she look'd on you, poor harmless maid,
  4. You blush'd, and all the kind intrigue betray'd;
  5. Yet still I vow'd, I made a stout defence,
  6. I swore, and look'd as bold as innocence;
  7. "Damme,—egad!" all that, and—"let me die!"'
  8. Kind Venus, do not hear my perjury;
  9. Kind Venus, stop thy ears when lovers lie.
  10. Now, Betty, how will you my oaths requite?
  11. Come, pr'ythee let's compound for more delight;
  12. Faith, I am easy, and but ask a night.
  13. What! start at the proposal? how! deny
  14. Pretend fond fears of a discovery ?
  15. Refuse, lest some sad chance the thing betray ?
  16. Is this your kind, your damn'd obliging way ?
  17. Well, deny on; I'll lie, I'll swear no more;
  18. Corinna now shall know thou art a whore.
  19. I'll tell, since you my fair address forbid,
  20. How often, when, and where, and what we did!
  1. O Love! how cold and slow to take my part,
  2. Thou idle wanderer about my heart!
  3. Why thy old faithful soldier wilt thou see
  4. Oppress'd in thy own tents? they murder me;
  5. Thy flames consume, thy arrows pierce thy friends;
  6. Rather on foes pursue more noble ends.
  7. Achilles' sword would certainly bestow
  8. A cure as certain as it gave the blow.
  9. Hunters, who follow flying game, give o'er
  10. When the prey's caught, hope still leads on before;
  11. We, thine own slaves, feel thy tyrannic blows.
  12. While thy tame hand's unmov'd against thy foes.
  13. On men disarm'd, how can you gallant prove ?
  14. And I was long ago disarm'd by love.
  15. Millions of dull men live, and scornful maids;
  16. We'll own love valiant when he these invades.
  17. Rome from each corner of the wide world snatch'd
  18. A laurel, or't had been to this day thatch'd;
  19. But the old soldier has his resting-place,
  20. And the good batter'd horse is turn'd to grass:
  21. The harass'd whore, who liv'd a wretch to please,
  22. Has leave to be a bawd, and take her ease.
  23. For me then, who have truly spent my blood,
  24. Love, in thy service, and so boldly stood
  25. In Celia's trenches, were't not wisely done,
  26. E'en to retire, and live at peace at home ?
  27. No-might I gain a godhead to disclaim
  28. My glorious title to my endless flame,
  29. Divinity with scorn I would forswear,
  30. Such sweet, dear, tempting devils women are.
  31. Whene'er those flames grow faint, I quickly find
  32. A fierce black storm pour down upon my mind;
  33. Headlong I'm hurl'd like horsemen who in vain
  34. Their fury-flaming coursers would restrain.
  35. As ships, just when the harbour they attain,
  36. Are snatch'd by sudden blasts to sea again,
  37. So Love's fantastic storms reduce my heart,
  38. Half rescu'd, and the god resumes his dart.
  39. Strike here, this undefended bosom wound,
  40. And for so brave a conquest be renown'd.
  41. Shafts fly so fast to me from ev'ry part,
  42. You'll scarce discern the quiver from my heart.
  43. What wretch can bear a livelong night's dull rest,
  44. Or think himself in lazy slumbers blest?
  45. Fool-is not sleep the image of pale death?
  46. There's time for rest when fate has stopp'd your breath.
  47. Me may my soft deluding dear deceive,
  48. I'm happy in my hopes, while I believe:
  49. Now let her flatter, then as fondly chide,
  50. Often may I enjoy, oft be denied.
  51. With doubtful steps the god of war does move,
  52. By thy example, in ambiguous love.
  53. Blown to and fro, like down from thy own wing,
  54. Who knows when joy or anguish thou wilt bring?
  55. Yet at thy mother's and thy slave's request,
  56. Fix an eternal empire in my breast;
  57. And let th' inconstant charming sex,
  58. Whose wilful scorn does lovers vex,
  59. Submit their hearts before thy throne;
  60. The vassal world is then thy own.
  1. What you affirm'd, my friend, is prov'd untrue,
  2. That none at once could madly dote on two.
  3. Deceiv'd, unarm'd, we Cupid soon o'ercame,
  4. And I glow shameless with a double flame.
  5. They both are fair, both dress'd so nicely well,
  6. That the pre-eminence is hard to tell.
  7. Sometimes for this, sometimes for that I burn,
  8. And each more beauteous sparkles in her turn.
  9. Each claims my passion, and my heart divides
  10. As to and fro the doubtful galliot rides.
  11. Here driven by winds, and there redriven by tides.
  12. Why doubly chain'd ? was not a single fair
  13. Enough to load me with perpetual care?
  14. Why are more leaves brought to the shady wood,
  15. Stars to the sky, or waters to the flood ?
  16. Yet better so than not to love at all;
  17. Still on my foes may such dull blessings fall.
  18. May they, insipidly supine, be spread
  19. Along the middle of a widowed bed;
  20. While I with sprightliness love's vigil's keep,