§1.2.69diceret haec animus ‘quid vis tibi? numquid ego a te
If the mind were to say these things: "What do you want for yourself?
§1.2.70magno prognatum deposco consule cunnum §1.2.71velatumque stola, mea cum conferbuit ira?’ §1.2.72quid responderet? ‘magno patre nata puella est.
Did I ever, from you, demand a womb born of a great consul, and covered with a stola, when my passion was burning hot?" What would he answer?
’ §1.2.73at quanto meliora monet pugnantiaque istis §1.2.74dives opis natura suae, tu si modo recte §1.2.75dispensare velis ac non fugienda petendis
"The girl was born of a great father." But how much better things does nature advise, and things in conflict with those, nature rich in her own resources, if only you wish to manage rightly and not to mix up things to be avoided with things to be sought.
§1.2.76inmiscere. tuo vitio rerumne labores,
Do you think it makes no difference whether you suffer through your own fault or that of circumstances?
§1.2.77nil referre putas? quare, ne paeniteat te, §1.2.78desine matronas sectarier, unde laboris §1.2.79plus haurire mali est quam ex re decerpere fructus.
Therefore, lest you regret it, cease to chase matrons, from where there is more of evil trouble to be drawn than to pluck fruit from the thing itself.
§1.2.80nec magis huic, inter niveos viridisque lapillos §1.2.81sit licet, hoc, Cerinthe, tuum tenerum est femur aut crus §1.2.82rectius, atque etiam melius persaepe togatae.
Nor is her thigh or leg more straight, Cerinthus, even if she is among snowy pearls and green gems, and indeed she is very often better in a woman wearing a toga.
§1.2.83adde huc, quod mercem sine fucis gestat, aperte §1.2.84quod venale habet ostendit nec, siquid honesti est, §1.2.85iactat habetque palam, quaerit, quo turpia celet.
Add to this, that she carries her merchandise without makeup, openly she shows what she has for sale, nor, if there is anything beautiful, does she boast and keep it in public while seeking how she may conceal her ugly parts.
§1.2.86regibus hic mos est, ubi equos mercantur: opertos §1.2.87inspiciunt, ne si facies, ut saepe, decora §1.2.88molli fulta pede est, emptorem inducat hiantem, §1.2.89quod pulcrae clunes, breve quod caput, ardua cervix.
This is the custom of kings when they buy horses: they inspect them covered, lest if a beautiful face, as often happens, is supported by a soft hoof, it deceives the gaping buyer, because of beautiful buttocks, a short head, and a high neck.
§1.2.90hoc illi recte: ne corporis optima Lyncei §1.2.91contemplere oculis, Hypsaea caecior illa, §1.2.92quae mala sunt, spectes.
They do this rightly: so that you do not contemplate the best parts of the body with the eyes of a Lynceus, while being blinder than the famous Hypsaea to those things which are bad.
‘o crus, o bracchia. ’ verum §1.2.93depygis, nasuta, brevi latere ac pede longo est.
"O leg, o arms." True, but she may be flat-buttocked, long-nosed, short-sided, and long-footed.
§1.2.94matronae praeter faciem nil cernere possis, §1.2.95cetera, ni Catia est, demissa veste tegentis.
In a matron, you can perceive nothing besides her face, unless she is a Catia, since her trailing dress covers the rest.
§1.2.96si interdicta petes, vallo circumdata — nam te §1.2.97hoc facit insanum —, multae tibi tum officient res, §1.2.98custodes, lectica, ciniflones, parasitae, §1.2.99ad talos stola demissa et circumdata palla, §1.2.100plurima, quae invideant pure adparere tibi rem.
If you seek forbidden things, surrounded by a rampart—for this makes you crazy—then many things will hinder you, guardians, the litter, hair-dressers, parasites, the stola falling to her ankles and covered by a cloak, very many things, which prevent the thing from appearing clearly to you.
§1.2.101altera, nil obstat: cois tibi paene videre est §1.2.102ut nudam, ne crure malo, ne sit pede turpi; §1.2.103metiri possis oculo latus.
As for the other, nothing stands in the way: you can see her in her Coan silk almost as if naked, so that she does not have a bad leg or an ugly foot; you can measure her flank with your eye.
an tibi mavis §1.2.104insidias fieri pretiumque avellier ante §1.2.105quam mercem ostendi? leporem venator ut alta
Or do you prefer a trap to be set for you and the price to be snatched away before the merchandise is shown?
§1.2.106in nive sectetur, positum sic tangere nolit, §1.2.107cantat et adponit ‘meus est amor huic similis; nam §1.2.108transvolat in medio posita et fugientia captat. ’ §1.2.109hiscine versiculis speras tibi posse dolores §1.2.110atque aestus curasque gravis e pectore pelli?
Just as a hunter chases a hare in the deep snow, but refuses to touch one that is placed there, so the poet sings and adds: "My love is like this; for it flies over what is placed in the open and captures what is fleeing." Do you hope that by these little verses your pain, passion, and heavy cares can be driven out of your breast?
§1.2.111nonne, cupidinibus statuat natura modum quem, §1.2.112quid latura sibi, quid sit dolitura negatum, §1.2.113quaerere plus prodest et inane abscindere soldo?
Is it not more profitable to inquire what limit nature sets to desires, what she will bear for herself, what she will suffer if denied, and to cut away the empty from the solid?
§1.2.114num, tibi cum faucis urit sitis, aurea quaeris
When thirst burns your throat, do you ask for golden cups?
§1.2.115pocula? num esuriens fastidis omnia praeter
When hungry, do you reject everything except peacock and turbot?
§1.2.116pavonem rhombumque? tument tibi cum inguina, num, si §1.2.117ancilla aut verna est praesto puer, impetus in quem §1.2.118continuo fiat. malis tentigine rumpi?
When your groin swells, if a maidservant or a home-born slave boy is at hand, upon whom an attack can be made immediately, would you prefer to burst with tension?
§1.2.119non ego; namque parabilem amo Venerem facilemque.
Not I; for I love a Venus that is easy and ready at hand.
§1.2.120illam ‘post paulo’ ‘sed pluris’ ‘si exierit vir’ §1.2.121gallis, hanc Philodemus ait sibi, quae neque magno §1.2.122stet pretio neque cunctetur cum est iussa venire.
She who says "a little later," "but for more," "if my husband goes out" is for the Galli; Philodemus says this one is for himself, who neither stands at a great price nor delays when ordered to come.
§1.2.123candida rectaque sit, munda hactenus, ut neque longa §1.2.124nec magis alba velit quam dat natura videri.
Let her be fair and straight, clean only so far that she does not wish to seem taller or whiter than nature allows.
§1.2.125haec ubi supposuit dextro corpus mihi laevom, §1.2.126Ilia et Egeria est; do nomen quodlibet illi.
When this woman has placed her left side under my right side, she is Ilia and Egeria; I give her any name I please.
§1.2.127nec vereor, ne, dum futuo, vir rure recurrat, §1.2.128ianua frangatur, latret canis, undique magno §1.2.129pulsa domus strepitu resonet, vepallida lecto §1.2.130desiliat mulier, miseram se conscia clamet, §1.2.131cruribus haec metuat, doti deprensa, egomet mi.
Nor do I fear lest, while I am having sex, her husband runs back from the country, the door is broken, the dog barks, the house resounds with a great noise on all sides from being beaten, the pale woman leaps from the bed, the conscious maid cries out that she is miserable, she fears for her legs, the caught wife for her dowry, and I for myself.
§1.2.132discincta tunica fugiendum est et pede nudo, §1.2.133ne nummi pereant aut puga aut denique fama.
I must flee with my tunic undone and with bare feet, lest my money perish, or my buttocks, or at last my reputation.
§1.2.134deprendi miserum est: Fabio vel iudice vincam.
To be caught is miserable: I would win even with Fabius as judge.