- Source
- Ovid. P. Ovidius Naso, Volume 1: Amores, Epistulae, Medicamina faciei femineae, Ars amatoria, Remedia amoris. Ehwald, Rudolf; Merkel, Rudolph; editors. Leipzig: B. G. Teubner, 1907.
- Translation
- AI-generated (gemini-3.5-flash) — machine translation; may contain errors
- Languages
- 日本語 · English · 简体中文 · 한국어
- CTS URN
- urn:cts:latinLit:phi0959.phi001.humanitext-lat2:2.15.1-2.15.28
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-28
The poet addresses the ring he is sending to his mistress, indulging in erotic fantasies of transforming into the ring to touch her body and share her secrets.
Anule, formosae digitum vincture1 puellae,
O ring, about to encircle the finger of a beautiful girl,
In quo censendum nil nisi dantis amor,
in which nothing is to be valued except the love of the giver,
Munus eas gratum! te laeta mente receptum
go as a welcome gift! May she, having received you with a joyful mind,
Protinus articulis induat illa suis;
immediately slip you onto her fingers;
Tam bene convenias, quam mecum convenit illi,
may you fit as well as she and I agree together,
Et digitum iusto commodus orbe teras!
and comfortingly touch her finger with your perfect circle!
Felix, a domina tractaberis, anule, nostra;
Fortunate ring, you will be handled by my mistress;
Invideo donis iam miser ipse meis.
now I, wretched, envy my own gift.
O utinam fieri subito mea munera possem2
Oh, would that I could suddenly become my own gift,
Artibus Aeaeae Carpathiive senis!
by the arts of the Aeaean witch or the Carpathian old man!
Tunc ego, cum cupiam dominae tetigisse papillas
Then I, when I desire to touch my mistress’s breasts
Et laevam tunicis inseruisse manum,
and to slip my left hand inside her tunic,
Elabar digito quamvis angustus et haerens,
would slip from her finger, however tight and clinging,
Inque sinum mira laxus ab arte cadam.
and by a wondrous art, becoming loose, fall into her bosom.
Idem ego, ut arcanas possim signare tabellas,
I, the same, so that I might seal her secret tablets,
Neve tenax ceram siccaque gemma trahat,
and lest the dry and sticky gem tear away the wax,
Umida formosae tangam prius ora puellae —
would first touch the moist lips of the beautiful girl—
Tantum ne3 signem scripta dolenda mihi.
provided only that I do not seal writings that will bring me grief.
Sit4 labor, ut condar loculis: exire negabo,
Though there be an effort to store me in a casket: I will refuse to leave,
Adstringens digitos orbe minore tuos.
tightening around your fingers with a smaller band.
Non ego dedecori tibi sum, mea vita, futurus,
I shall not be a disgrace to you, my life,
Quodve tener digitus ferre recuset, onus.
nor a burden which your tender finger would refuse to bear.
Me gere, cum calidis perfundes imbribus artus,
Wear me when you bathe your limbs with warm water,
Damnaque sub gemmam fer pereuntis aquae —
and bear the damage of water getting under the gem—
Sed, puto, te nuda mea membra libidine surgent,
But, I think, at the sight of you naked my limbs will rise with desire,
Et peragam partes anulus ille viri.
and I, that very ring, will perform the parts of a man.
Inrita quid voveo? parvum proficiscere munus;
Why do I make useless vows? Depart, small gift;
Illa datam tecum sentiat esse fidem!
may she feel that with you, a pledge of love has been given!
- 2.15.1vincture
Future active participle modifying the vocative Anule, indicating intention or destiny ("about to encircle").
- 2.15.9possem
Subjunctive imperfect with utinam, expressing an unachievable wish in the present.
- 2.15.18Tantum ne
Introducing a subjunctive of proviso, expressing a restrictive condition ("provided only that... not").
- 2.15.19Sit
Independent present subjunctive at the beginning of the sentence, expressing concession ("granted that...", "though there be...").