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. Her length of robe was full, and swept the ground:
  2. Her hand held out, a regal sceptre grac'd,
  3. And Lydian buskins half her legs embrac'd.
  4. She first; "Must love for ever tune thy voice,
  5. Fond idle bard, and trifling in thy choice
  6. Thy wanton songs employ the drunkard's tongue,
  7. In ev'ry street thy ribald lays are sung;
  8. The finger marks thee in thy passing by,
  9. 'Behold, where goes the slave of love,' they cry.
  10. Thy lewd exploits, thou profligate, are grown
  11. The public theme, and talk of all the town;
  12. Whilst unconcern'd, and lost to sense of shame,
  13. Thou still runn'st on nor mind'st thy ruin'd fame.
  14. Enough thou'st told the plaints of fond desire,
  15. Now let a nobler inspiration fire;
  16. Thy matter cramps thy genius, learn to find
  17. A manly subject, and exert thy mind.
  18. In songs for girls, fond toys, and idle play,
  19. Thy muse has wanton'd all her hours away.
  20. But youth at length has fill'd its measure up;