§2.18.1Carmen ad iratum dum tu perducis Achillen §2.18.2Primaque iuratis induis arma viris, §2.18.3Nos, Macer, ignava Veneris cessamus in umbra, §2.18.4Et tener ausuros grandia frangit Amor.
While you conduct your poem to angry Achilles, and put the first armor on the sworn men, We, Macer, idle in the lazy shade of Venus, and tender Love breaks those who would dare grand things.
Often I said to my girl, "Depart at last!" — immediately she sat in my lap.
§2.18.7Saepe 'pudet!' dixi — lacrimis vix illa retentis §2.18.8'Me miseram! iam te' dixit 'amare pudet?'
Often I said, "It is shameful!" — she, with tears scarcely held back, said, "Wretched me!
Is it now a shame for you to love?" And she entwined her arms around my neck and gave a thousand kisses, which are my ruin.
§2.18.11Vincor, et ingenium sumptis revocatur ab armis, §2.18.12Resque domi gestas et mea bella cano.
I am conquered, and my genius is recalled from the arms it had taken up, and I sing of deeds done at home and of my own wars.
§2.18.13Sceptra tamen sumpsi, curaque tragoedia nostra §2.18.14Crevit, et huic operi quamlibet aptus eram.
Yet I did take up the sceptre, and through my care tragedy grew, and I was as suited to this work as could be.
§2.18.15Risit Amor pallamque meam pictosque cothurnos §2.18.16Sceptraque privata tam cito sumpta manu.
Love laughed at my cloak and my painted buskins, and the sceptre taken up so quickly by a private hand.
From this too the divine power of an unfair mistress drew me away, and Love triumphs over the buskined bard.
§2.18.19Quod licet, aut artes teneri profitemur Amoris — §2.18.20Ei mihi, praeceptis urgeor ipse meis! — §2.18.21Aut, quod Penelopes verbis reddatur Ulixi, §2.18.22Scribimus et lacrimas, Phylli relicta, tuas, §2.18.23Quod Paris et Macareus et quod male gratus Iason §2.18.24Hippolytique parens Hippolytusque legant, §2.18.25Quodque tenens strictum Dido miserabilis ensem §2.18.26Dicat et Aoniae Lesbis amata lyrae.
What is allowed, either I profess the arts of tender Love — ah me, I am pressed hard by my own precepts! — or what may be delivered to Ulysses in the words of Penelope, I write, and your tears, abandoned Phyllis, what Paris and Macareus, and what ungrateful Jason, and Hippolytus' parent and Hippolytus himself might read, and what wretched Dido, holding a drawn sword, might say, and the Lesbian woman loved by the Aonian lyre.
How quickly my Sabinus returned from the whole world, and brought back writings from diverse places!
Fair Penelope recognized the seal of Ulysses; the stepmother read what was written by her Hippolytus.
§2.18.31Iam pius Aeneas miserae rescripsit Elissae, §2.18.32Quodque legat Phyllis, si modo vivit, adest.
Already pious Aeneas has written back to wretched Elissa, and what Phyllis may read, if only she lives, is here.
A sad letter has come to Hypsipyle from Jason; let the loved Lesbian woman give her vowed lyre to Phoebus.
Nor by you, Macer, singing of arms, as far as is safe for a bard, is golden Love kept silent in the midst of Mars.
There too is Paris, and the adulteress, a famous crime, and Laodamia, companion to her dead husband.