ARS AMATORIA [This work is, as its name implies, a set of rules for the government of affairs of love. The work is in three books, - the first two addressed to men, the last to women. Ovid, who by experience was a past master in this art, offers minute instructions as to methods of procedure. Others may be leaders and instructors in other arts, but he is the master of the art of love.] I. Siquis in hoc artem populo non novit amandi, [The poet recommends the theater as the best field of observation of the fair sex, who, from the days of the Sabine women down, have thronged that place of popular resort.] Ut redit itque frequens longum formica per agmen, 95 Aut ut apes saltusque suos et olentia nactae 100 Cum iuvit viduos rapta Sabina viros. 120 Sic illae timuere viros sine more ruentes; Constitit in nulla, qui fuit ante, color. Nam timor unus erat, facies non una timoris: Pars laniat crines, pars sine mente sedet; Altera maesta silet, frustra vocat altera matrem ; Haec queritur, stupet haec; haec manet, illa fugit. 125 Ducuntur raptae, genialis praeda, puellae, Et potuit multas ipse decere timor. [It would be profitless to follow Ovid through the tangled maze of precept and illustration. The whole work shows the extremely low ideal of morality which existed in the society of the time. No more striking commentary upon this society can be made than that such a work as this should have been put forth by a popular poet in the confident expectation that it would meet with a popular response. This work, like all of Ovid's works, abounds in mythological illustrations. One of the best of these is the following selection from the third book, illustrating the folly of the too hasty judgment of jealousy.] III. Nec cito credideris! quantum cito credere laedat, Exemplum vobis non leve Procris erit. 686 690 Est prope purpureos colles florentis Hymetti Fons sacer et viridi caespite mollis humus: Nec tenues cytisi cultaque pinus abest; Tot generum frondes herbaque summa tremit. 695 Grata quies Cephalo; famulis canibusque relictis Lassus in hac iuvenis saepe resedit humo, 700 'Quae' que 'meos releves aestus,' cantare solebat Accipienda sinu, mobilis aura, veni!' Coniugis ad timidas aliquis male sedulus aures Procris ut accepit nomen, quasi paelicis, Aurae, Palluit, ut serae lectis de vite racemis Pallescunt frondes, quas nova laesit hiems, 710 Quid tibi mentis erat, cum sic male sana lateres, 715 Iam iam venturam, quaecumque erat Aura, putabas Scilicet atque oculis probra videnda tuis. Nunc venisse piget (neque enim deprendere velles), 720 Nunc iuvat: incertus pectora versat amor; Credere quae iubeant, locus est et nomen et index, Et quia amans semper, quod timet, esse putat. Vidit ut oppressa vestigia corporis herba, Pulsantur trepidi corde micante sinus; Iamque dies medius tenues contraxerat umbras, Inque pari spatio vesper et ortus erant : 725 Ecce, redit Cephalus silvis, Cyllenia proles, Oraque fontana fervida pulsat aqua. 730 Anxia, Procri, lates; solitas iacet ille per herbas, Et mens et rediit verus in ora color: 735 Quid facis, infelix? non est fera; supprime tela ! Me miserum! iaculo fixa puella tuo est. 740 Ei mihi!' conclamat 'fixisti pectus amicum: Hoc faciet positae te mihi, terra, levem. REMEDIA AMORIS [This poem is designed as a book of advice for those who would be delivered from the snares of love. In the opening lines, Ovid apologizes to Cupid for his seeming desertion from the standard of that youthful god, implied in the title of his poem; and explains that his 'remedy' is only for those who are entangled in the meshes of unhappy or unworthy love.] Legerat huius Amor titulum nomenque libelli: Parce tuum vatem sceleris damnare, Cupido, 5 Non ego Tydides, a quo tua saucia mater Et quod nunc ratio est, impetus ante fuit. 15 At siquis male fert indignae regna puellae, [The poet moralizes upon the dangers of delay.] Nam mora dat vires: teneras mora percoquit uvas |