Ars Amatoria

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; Congreve, William; translators. New York: Calvin Blanchard, 1855.

Caesar would represent a naval fight,[*](The naval combats were represented in a place dug on purpose on the banks of the Tiber; it was called Naumachia; and when occasion required the river water was let into it. Tacitus, in his twelfth book, makes mention of a representation of the naval battle of Actium.)
For his own honour and for Rome's delight.
From either sea the youths and maidens come,
And all the world was then contain'd in Rome!
In this vast concourse, in this choice of game,
What Roman heart but felt a foreign flame!
Once more our prince prepares to make us glad,
And the remaining east to Rome will add.[*](Augustus having put an end to the war in Spain, undertook an expedition into Asia, and began the Parthian war; in which he recovered the ensigns that had been taken from the Romans in the defeat of Crassus, which these verses refer to.)
Rejoice, ye Roman soldiers, in your urns,
Your ensigns from the Parthians shall return,
And the slain Crassi shall no longer mourn.
A youth is sent those trophies to demand,
Ard bears his father's thunders in his hand;
Doubt not th' imperial boy in wars unseen,
In childhood all of Caesar's race are men.
Celestial seeds shoot out before their day,
Prevent their years, and brook no dull delay.
Thus infant Hercules the snakes did press,
And in his cradle did his sire confess.
Bacchus a boy, yet like a hero fought,
And early spoils from conquer'd India brought.
Thus you your father's troops shall lead to fight,
And thus shall vanquish in your father's right.
These rudiments you to your lineage owe;
Born to increase your titles as you grow.
Brethren you had, revenge your brethren slain;
You have a father, and his rights maintain.
Arm'd by your country's parent and your own,
Redeem your country and restore his throne.
Your enemies assert an impious cause;
You fight both for divine and human laws.
Already in their cause they are o'ercome;
Subject them too, by force of arms, to Rome.
Great father Mars with greater Caesar join,
To give a prosperous omen to your line;
One of you is, and one shall be divine.
I prophesy you shall, you shall o'ercome;
My verse shall bring you back in triumph home:
Speak in my verse, exhort to loud alarms;
0, were my numbers equal to your arms,
Then would I sing the Parthians' overthrow;
Their shot averse sent from a flying bow
The Parthians, who already flying fight,
Already give an omen of their flight.
0, when will come the day, by heaven designed,
When thou, the best and fairest of mankind,
Drawn by white horses, shalt in triumph ride,[*](He alludes to the triumphs of the Roman conquerors: they were wonderfully magnificent, accompanied with rich spoils and pictures of rivers, mountains, cities, and provinces conquered by them: not to speak of the captive kings and great captains that followed the victor's car in chains: but there is so much insolence in this custom, that, with all its magnificence, we cannot in our own times relish it.)
With conquer'd slaves attending on thy side;
Slaves that no longer can be safe in flight:
O glorious object, O surprising sight,
O day of public joy, too good to end in night!
On such a day, if thou, and next to thee,
Some beauty sits the spectacle to see;
If she enquires the names of conquer'd kings,
Of mountains, rivers, and of hidden springs,
Answer to all thou know'st; and if need be,
Of things unknown seem to speak knowingly:
This is Euphrates, crown'd with reeds; and there
Flows the swift Tigris, with his sea-green hair.
Invent new names of things unknown before:
Call this Armenia, that the Caspian shore;
Call this a Mede, and that a Parthian youth;
Talk probably,-no matter for the truth.

In feasts, as at our shows, new means abound;
More pleasure there, than that of wine, is found.
The Paphian goddess there her ambush lays;
And love, betwixt the horns of Bacchus plays:
Desires increase at ev'ry swilling draught;
Brisk vapour add new vigour to the thought.
There Cupid's purple wings no flight afford,
But wet with wine, he flutters on the board.
He shakes his pinions, but he cannot move;
Fix'd he remains, and turns a maudlin love.
Wine warms the blood, and makes the spirits flow;
Care flies, and wrinkles from the forehead go;
Exalts the poor, invigorates the weak,
Gives mirth and laughter, and a rosy cheek.
Bold truth it speaks; and spoken, dare maintain;
And brings our old simplicity again.
Love sparkles in the cup and fills it higher;
Wine feeds the flames, and fuel adds to fire.
But choose no mistress in thy drunken fit;
Wine gilds too much their beauties and their wit.
Nor trust thy judgment when the tapers dance;[*](The night is an ill time to choose a mistress in. We have a saying in England, "Women and linen look best by candle-light.")
But sober, and by day thy suit advance.
By daylight Paris judg'd the beauteous three;[*](The Phrygian shepherd, to judge the beauty of these three goddesses demanded to see them naked; and the goddess were so eager to have the question decided by him, that they made no scruple to satisfy his demands.)
And for the fairest did the prize decree.
Night is a cheat, and all deformities
Are hid, or lessen'd, in her dark disguise.
The sun's fair light each error will confess,
In face, in shape, in jewels, and in dress.
Why name I ev'ry place where youths abound?
'Tis loss of time; and a true fruitful ground.
The Baian baths, where ships at anchor ride,
And wholesome streams from sulphur fountains glide;
Where wounded youths are by experience taught,
The waters are less healthful than they thought,
Or Dian's fane, which near the suburb lies;[*](This temple was in the neighbourhood of Rome, in a valley, where there is also a sacred wood. There were abundance of candles used in it, as we read in Ovid de Fastis.)
Where priests, for their promotion, fight a prize.[*](The sovereign priest of Diana, Aricina, called himself king, and often got that dignity by gaining the better of his opponent in single combat.)
That maiden goddess is love's mortal foe,
And much from her his subjects undergo.