- 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-lat2:3.1.1-3.1.70
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-28
While the poet ponders his next work in an ancient grove, the personified figures of Elegy and Tragedy appear and debate which genre he should pursue. The poet asks Tragedy for a brief delay, securing permission to finish his love poetry first.
Stat vetus et multos incaedua silva per annos;
An ancient wood stands, uncut through many years;
Credibile est illi numen inesse loco.
it is believable that a divinity is in that place.
Fons sacer in medio speluncaque pumice pendens,
In the middle is a sacred spring and a cave hanging with pumice,
Et latere ex omni dulce queruntur aves.
and from every side birds complain sweetly.
Hic ego dum spatior tectus nemoralibus umbris —
Here while I stroll, covered by the woodland shadows —
Quod mea, quaerebam, Musa moveret opus —
searching out what work my Muse should set in motion —
Venit odoratos Elegia nexa capillos,
Elegy came with her fragrant hair bound up,
Et, puto, pes illi longior alter erat.1
and, I think, one of her feet was longer than the other.
Forma decens, vestis tenuissima, vultus amantis,
She had a graceful form, a very thin garment, the look of a lover,
Et pedibus vitium causa decoris erat.
and the defect in her feet was a cause of grace.
Venit et ingenti violenta Tragoedia passu:
Violent Tragedy also came with a huge stride:
Fronte comae torva, palla iacebat humi;
her hair was rough on her grim brow, her robe trailed on the ground;
Laeva manus sceptrum late regale movebat,
her left hand shook a widely royal scepter,
Lydius alta pedum vincla cothurnus erat.
the Lydian buskin was the high binding of her feet.
Et prior 'ecquis erit,' dixit, 'tibi finis amandi,
And she spoke first: “Will there ever be any end to your loving,
O argumenti lente poeta tui?
O poet sluggish in your theme?
Nequitiam vinosa tuam convivia narrant,
Wine-soaked banquets tell of your worthlessness,
Narrant in multas conpita secta vias.
and the crossroads split into many paths tell of it.
Saepe aliquis digito vatem designat euntem,
Often someone points his finger at the poet as he goes,
Atque ait "hic, hic est, quem ferus urit Amor!"
and says, ‘This is he, this is the one whom fierce Love burns!’
Fabula, nec sentis, tota iactaris in urbe,
You are being tossed about as a story in the whole city, though you do not notice,
Dum tua praeterito facta pudore refers.
while you recount your deeds, having cast aside shame.
Tempus erat, thyrso pulsum graviore moveri;2
It was time for you to be moved, struck by a heavier thyrsus;
Cessatum satis est — incipe maius opus!
you have rested enough — begin a greater work!
Materia premis ingenium. cane facta virorum.
You suppress your genius with your material. Sing the deeds of heroes.
"haec animo," dices, "area facta meo est!"
’This,’ you will say, ‘is the field made for my mind!’
Quod tenerae cantent, lusit tua Musa, puellae,
Your Muse has played with what tender girls might sing,
Primaque per numeros acta iuventa suos.
and your early youth was spent in its own measures.
Nunc habeam per te Romana Tragoedia nomen!
Now let Roman Tragedy have a name through you!
Inplebit leges spiritus iste meas.'
That spirit of yours will fulfill my laws.”
Hactenus, et movit pictis innixa cothurnis
Thus far she spoke, and leaning on her painted buskins she shook
Densum caesarie terque quaterque caput.
her head, thick with hair, three and four times.
Altera, si memini, limis subrisit ocellis —
The other, if I remember, smiled with sidelong eyes —
Fallor, an in dextra myrtea virga fuit?
am I deceived, or was there a myrtle branch in her right hand?
'Quid gravibus verbis, animosa Tragoedia,' dixit,
”Why, high-spirited Tragedy,” she said, “do you weigh me down
'Me premis? an numquam non gravis esse potes?
with heavy words? Or can you never be otherwise than heavy?
Inparibus tamen es numeris3 dignata moveri;
Yet you have deigned to be moved in unequal measures;
In me pugnasti versibus usa meis.
you have fought against me by using my own verses.
Non ego contulerim sublimia carmina nostris;
I would not compare sublime poems with ours;
Obruit exiguas regia vestra fores.
your palace overwhelms my tiny doors.
Sum levis, et mecum levis est, mea cura, Cupido;
I am light, and with me is light Cupid, my care;
Non sum materia fortior ipsa mea.
I myself am not stronger than my own material.
Rustica sit sine me lascivi mater Amoris;
Without me, the mother of wanton Love would be rustic;
Huic ego proveni lena comesque deae.
I have come forth as a helper and companion to this goddess.
Quam tu non poteris duro reserare cothurno,
The door which you will not be able to unlock with your hard buskin,
Haec est blanditiis ianua laxa meis;
this is made wide open by my flatteries;
Et tamen emerui plus quam tu posse, ferendo
and yet I have deserved to be able to do more than you, by bearing
Multa supercilio non patienda tuo.
many things not to be endured by your haughty brow.
Per me decepto didicit custode Corinna
Through me, Corinna, having deceived her guardian,
Liminis adstricti sollicitare fidem,
learned to shake the loyalty of the locked threshold,
Delabique toro tunica velata soluta
and to slip from her bed, clad in a loosened tunic,
Atque inpercussos nocte movere pedes.
and to move her feet without a sound at night.
A quotiens foribus duris infixa pependi,
Ah, how often I hung fixed on the hard doors,
Non verita a populo praetereunte legi!
not fearing to be read by the passerby!
Quin ego me memini, dum custos saevus abiret,
Indeed, I remember that while the cruel guardian departed,
Ancillae miseram delituisse sinu.
I hid in the wretched bosom of the maid.
Quid, cum me munus natali mittis, at illa
What of when you send me as a birthday gift, but she
Rumpit et adposita barbara mersat aqua?
tears me and dunks me in the water placed nearby, cruel woman?
Prima tuae movi felicia semina mentis;
I first moved the happy seeds of your mind;
Munus habes, quod te iam petit ista, meum.'
you have my gift, in that she now seeks you.”
Desierat. coepi: 'per vos utramque rogamus,
She had finished. I began: “By both of you we ask
In vacuas aures verba timentis eant.
that the words of a fearful man may go into empty ears.
Altera me sceptro decoras altoque cothurno;
One of you honors me with the scepter and the high buskin;
Iam nunc contacto magnus in ore sonus.
already now, with my mouth touched, there is a grand sound.
Altera das nostro victurum nomen amori —
The other gives a name that will live to our love —
Ergo ades et longis versibus adde brevis!
therefore be present and add short verses to long ones!
Exiguum vati concede, Tragoedia, tempus!
Grant a little time to the poet, Tragedy!
Tu labor aeternus; quod petit illa, breve est.'
You are an eternal labor; what she seeks is brief.”
Mota dedit veniam — teneri properentur Amores,
Moved, she gave permission — let tender Loves be hurried
Dum vacat; a tergo grandius urguet opus!
while there is leisure; a grander work urges from behind!
- 3.1.8pes illi longior alter erat
A humorous personification of the elegiac couplet (alternating hexameter and pentameter), represented as having one leg longer than the other (uneven feet).
- 3.1.23Tempus erat... moveri
The imperfect tense tempus erat indicates a duty that should have already been undertaken, governing the passive infinitive moveri.
- 3.1.37Inparibus... numeris
Refers to the 'unequal measures' (elegiac couplets). It is a self-referential and ironic observation that even Tragedy, a high genre, has deigned to speak in Elegy's own meter.