Humanitext Reader

Ovid · The Loves §1.13.1-1.13.48

Plea to Aurora to Delay the Dawn

Passage 15 of 53 · Latin

Summary

The poet addresses the Dawn (Aurora), pleading with her to delay the sunrise so he can remain with his mistress, and reproaches her by listing the hardships her arrival brings to various groups of people.

§1.13.1Iam super oceanum venit a seniore marito §1.13.2Flava pruinoso quae vehit axe diem.
Already over the ocean comes from her older husband she of the golden hair, who brings the day on her frosty axle.
§1.13.3'Quo properas, Aurora? mane! — sic Memnonis umbris §1.13.4Annua sollemni caede parentet avis!
'Whither do you hasten, Aurora? Stay! — so to Memnon’s shades may the annual bird pay parentalia with solemn slaughter!
§1.13.5Nunc iuvat in teneris dominae iacuisse lacertis; §1.13.6Si quando, lateri nunc bene iuncta meo est.
Now it is a pleasure to lie in the tender arms of my mistress; now, if ever, she is closely joined to my side.
§1.13.7Nunc etiam somni pingues et frigidus aer, §1.13.8Et liquidum tenui gutture cantat avis.
Now even sleep is heavy, and the air is cool, and the bird sings clear from its slender throat.
§1.13.9Quo properas, ingrata viris, ingrata puellis?
Whither do you hasten, unwelcome to men, unwelcome to girls?
§1.13.10Roscida purpurea supprime lora manu!
Hold back the dewy reins with your rosy hand!
§1.13.11Ante tuos ortus melius sua sidera servat §1.13.12Navita nec media nescius errat aqua; §1.13.13Te surgit quamvis lassus veniente viator, §1.13.14Et miles saevas aptat ad arma manus.
Before your rising, the sailor keeps better watch of his stars, nor does he wander ignorant in the middle of the sea; at your coming, the traveler rises, however weary, and the soldier fits his fierce hands to arms.
§1.13.15Prima bidente vides oneratos arva colentes; §1.13.16Prima vocas tardos sub iuga panda boves.
You are the first to see the fields-cultivators burdened with the two-pronged hoe; you are the first to call the slow oxen under the curved yoke.
§1.13.17Tu pueros somno fraudas tradisque magistris, §1.13.18Ut subeant tenerae verbera saeva manus; §1.13.19Atque vades sponsum stultos ante Atria mittis, §1.13.20Unius ut verbi grandia damna ferant.
You deprive boys of sleep and hand them over to teachers, that their tender hands may undergo fierce beatings; and you send foolish guarantors to stand surety before the Courts, that they may bear the great losses of a single word.
§1.13.21Nec tu consulto, nec tu iucunda diserto; §1.13.22Cogitur ad lites surgere uterque novas.
You are not pleasing to the lawyer, nor to the orator; each is compelled to rise for new lawsuits.
§1.13.23Tu, cum feminei possint cessare labores, §1.13.24Lanificam revocas ad sua pensa manum.
You, when women's labors could be at rest, recall the wool-working hand to its tasks.
§1.13.25Omnia perpeterer — sed surgere mane puellas, §1.13.26Quis nisi cui non est ulla puella ferat?
I would endure all — but that girls should rise in the morning, who could bear, except one who has no girl?
§1.13.27Optavi quotiens, ne nox tibi cedere vellet, §1.13.28Ne fugerent vultus sidera mota tuos!
How often have I wished that the night would not yield to you, that the stars, set in motion, would not flee from your face!
§1.13.29Optavi quotiens, aut ventus frangeret axem, §1.13.30Aut caderet spissa nube retentus equus!
How often have I wished either that the wind would shatter your axle, or that your horse would fall, held back by a thick cloud!
§1.13.31Invida, quo properas? quod erat tibi filius ater, §1.13.32Materni fuerat pectoris ille color.
Envious one, whither do you hasten? That you had a black son, that was the color of his mother’s heart.
§1.13.35Tithono vellem de te narrare liceret; §1.13.36Fabula non caelo turpior ulla foret.
I wish it were permitted for Tithonus to tell of you; no story in heaven would be more shameful.
§1.13.37Illum dum refugis, longo quia grandior aevo, §1.13.38Surgis ad invisas a sene mane rotas.
While you flee from him, because he is older by a long age, you rise in the morning from the old man to your hated wheels.
§1.13.39At si, quem mavis, Cephalum conplexa teneres, §1.13.40Clamares: "lente currite, noctis equi!" §1.13.41Cur ego plectar amans, si vir tibi marcet ab annis?
But if you held Cephalus, whom you prefer, in your embrace, you would cry: "Run slowly, horses of the night!" Why should I, in love, be punished, if your husband is withered with years?
§1.13.42Num me nupsisti conciliante seni?
Did you marry the old man with me acting as matchmaker?
§1.13.43Adspice, quot somnos iuveni donarit amato §1.13.44Luna! — neque illius forma secunda tuae.
Look how many sleeps the Moon has given to her beloved youth! And her beauty is not second to yours.
§1.13.45Ipse deum genitor, ne te tam saepe videret, §1.13.46Commisit noctes in sua vota duas. ' §1.13.47Iurgia finieram.
The father of the gods himself, lest he should see you so often, joined two nights together for his own desires.' I had ended my complaints.
scires audisse: rubebat — §1.13.48Nec tamen adsueto tardius orta dies!
You would know she had heard: she blushed — yet the day did not rise any later than usual!

Notes

  1. 1.13.3sic — The adverb sic functions here conditionally as "on this condition (if you stay)," establishing the premise for the subsequent present subjunctive parentet expressing a wish.
  2. 1.13.15Prima — The adjective primus in the feminine singular nominative, agreeing with the subject (Aurora), used adverbially to mean "you are the first to..."
  3. 1.13.19sponsum — The supine in the accusative of the verb spondeo (to promise/guarantee), used with the verb of motion mittis to express purpose ("to stand surety").
  4. 1.13.25surgere — The infinitive introducing the accusative-and-infinitive clause surgere mane puellas (that girls rise in the morning). The entire clause serves as the object of the main verb ferat in the following line ("who could bear that girls rise...").
  5. 1.13.35vellem — The imperfect subjunctive of volo, expressing an unrealizable wish in the present. Combined with the imperfect subjunctive liceret in the dependent clause, it means "I wish it were permitted..."
  6. 1.13.38a sene — The prepositional phrase a sene ("from the old man") is juxtaposed with the adverb mane ("in the morning") and modifies the main verb surgis, meaning "you rise in the morning from the side of the old man." It denotes the point of origin or separation.

Cite this passage

Ovid, The Loves §1.13.1-1.13.48. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0959.phi001.humanitext-lat2:1.13.1-1.13.48

Please note the AI-draft status of the translation and the date accessed.

Translation, notes and summary are AI-generated drafts, revised through reader feedback.