Humanitext Reader

Ovid · The Loves §1.5.1-1.5.26

Midday Rendezvous and Passion with Corinna

Passage 6 of 53 · Latin

Summary

On a hot summer afternoon, the narrator lies on a couch in a dimly lit room when the beautiful Corinna arrives in a thin tunic, leading to a passionate embrace and physical union.

§1.5.1Aestus erat, mediamque dies exegerat horam; §1.5.2Adposui medio membra levanda toro.
It was hot, and the day had completed its midday hour; I laid my limbs, to be refreshed, on the middle of the couch.
§1.5.3Pars adaperta fuit, pars altera clausa fenestrae; §1.5.4Quale fere silvae lumen habere solent, §1.5.5Qualia sublucent fugiente crepuscula Phoebo, §1.5.6Aut ubi nox abiit, nec tamen orta dies.
One part of the window was open, the other part closed; such a light as the woods are usually wont to have, such twilight as glimmers when Phoebus is fleeing, or when night has gone, yet the day has not yet arisen.
§1.5.7Illa verecundis lux est praebenda puellis, §1.5.8Qua timidus latebras speret habere pudor.
That is the light to be offered to modest girls, in which timid shame may hope to have a hiding place.
§1.5.9Ecce, Corinna venit, tunica velata recincta, §1.5.10Candida dividua colla tegente coma — §1.5.11Qualiter in thalamos famosa Semiramis isse §1.5.12Dicitur, et multis Lais amata viris.
Behold, Corinna comes, clad in an unbelted tunic, with her parted hair covering her fair neck — just as the famous Semiramis is said to have gone into her bedchambers, and Lais, beloved by many men.
§1.5.13Deripui tunicam — nec multum rara nocebat; §1.5.14Pugnabat tunica sed tamen illa tegi.
I tore off her tunic — nor did its thinness hinder much; yet she still struggled to be covered by the tunic.
§1.5.15Quae cum ita pugnaret, tamquam quae vincere nollet, §1.5.16Victa est non aegre proditione sua.
Since she struggled thus, as one who did not wish to conquer, she was conquered without difficulty by her own self-betrayal.
§1.5.17Ut stetit ante oculos posito velamine nostros, §1.5.18In toto nusquam corpore menda fuit.
When she stood before my eyes, her garment having been cast aside, there was no blemish anywhere in her whole body.
§1.5.19Quos umeros, quales vidi tetigique lacertos!
What shoulders, what arms I saw and touched!
§1.5.20Forma papillarum quam fuit apta premi!
How fit was the shape of her breasts to be pressed!
§1.5.21Quam castigato planus sub pectore venter!
How flat was the belly beneath her well-formed breast!
§1.5.22Quantum et quale latus! quam iuvenale femur!
How great and what a waist! How youthful a thigh!
§1.5.23Singula quid referam? nil non laudabile vidi §1.5.24Et nudam pressi corpus ad usque meum.
Why should I recount each detail? I saw nothing that was not praiseworthy, and I pressed her naked body close to mine.
§1.5.25Cetera quis nescit? lassi requievimus ambo.
Who does not know the rest? Tired, we both rested.
§1.5.26Proveniant medii sic mihi saepe dies!
May such midday days turn out for me often!

Notes

  1. 1.5.2membra levanda — The gerundive `levanda` (to be refreshed/relieved) modifies `membra` (limbs), expressing the purpose or intention behind the action.
  2. 1.5.8Qua timidus latebras speret habere pudor — The relative clause introduced by the ablative `qua` (referring back to `lux`) uses the subjunctive `speret` to express characteristic, purpose, or result ("a light in which timid shame might hope...").
  3. 1.5.10Candida dividua colla tegente coma — An ablative absolute construction formed by the present participle `tegente` and the noun `coma` (ablative feminine singular), in which `colla` (accusative neuter plural) acts as the direct object of the participle.
  4. 1.5.15tamquam quae vincere nollet — The conjunction `tamquam` is paired with the imperfect subjunctive `nollet` to express a counterfactual comparison ("as if she did not wish to conquer"). The relative pronoun `quae` refers back to Corinna.

Cite this passage

Ovid, The Loves §1.5.1-1.5.26. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0959.phi001.humanitext-lat2:1.5.1-1.5.26

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.