Humanitext Reader

Ovid · The Loves §2.3.1-2.3.18

Urging the Eunuch Bagoas to Serve His Mistress

Passage 20 of 53 · Latin

Summary

The poet persuades the castrated guardian Bagoas that, since he has neither manly pleasures nor a military path, it is wiser to serve his mistress, earn her gratitude, and condone the lovers' passion.

§2.3.1Ei mihi, quod dominam nec vir nec femina servas §2.3.2Mutua nec Veneris gaudia nosse potes!
Woe to me, that you, neither man nor woman, guard your mistress, and cannot know the mutual joys of Venus!
§2.3.3Qui primus pueris genitalia membra recidit, §2.3.4Vulnera quae fecit, debuit ipse pati.
He who first cut off the genital members of boys, ought himself to have suffered the wounds he made.
§2.3.5Mollis in obsequium facilisque rogantibus esses, §2.3.6Si tuus in quavis praetepuisset amor.
You would be soft to compliance and easy to those who entreat, if your love had ever warmed beforehand for any woman.
§2.3.7Non tu natus equo, non fortibus utilis armis; §2.3.8Bellica non dextrae convenit hasta tuae.
You were not born for the horse, nor useful for strong arms; the warlike spear does not fit your right hand.
§2.3.9Ista mares tractent; tu spes depone viriles.
Let men handle those things; lay aside your manly hopes.
§2.3.10Sunt tibi cum domina signa ferenda tua.
You must carry your standards along with your mistress.
§2.3.11Hanc inple meritis, huius tibi gratia prosit; §2.3.12Si careas illa, quis tuus usus erit?
Fill her with your services, let her gratitude benefit you; if you should lack her, what will be your usefulness?
§2.3.13Est etiam facies, sunt apti lusibus anni; §2.3.14Indigna est pigro forma perire situ.
She has also beauty, and years fit for plays; it is unworthy for her beauty to perish in sluggish neglect.
§2.3.15Fallere te potuit, quamvis habeare molestus; §2.3.16Non caret effectu, quod voluere duo.
She could have deceived you, although you are considered troublesome; what two have willed does not lack effect.
§2.3.17Aptius ut fuerit precibus temptasse, rogamus, §2.3.18Dum bene ponendi munera tempus habes.
Since it would be more fitting to have tempted with prayers, we ask, while you have the time for placing your favors well.

Notes

  1. 2.3.5esses... praetepuisset — The protasis `praetepuisset` (pluperfect subjunctive) expresses a past contrary-to-fact condition, while the apodosis `esses` (imperfect subjunctive) expresses a present contrary-to-fact condition (or a continuous state in the past).
  2. 2.3.10signa ferenda — `signa ferenda` is a gerundive expressing obligation, with `tibi` as the dative of agent. Using the military term `signa ferre` (to carry the standards, to march), it ironically implies that the eunuch's only 'battlefield' is accompanying his mistress.
  3. 2.3.17ut fuerit — `fuerit` is in the perfect subjunctive, indicating a past potentiality ('it would have been'). `ut` is used here as explanatory or causal ('since' or 'as'), justifying why the poet chooses the milder method of entreaty rather than force.

Cite this passage

Ovid, The Loves §2.3.1-2.3.18. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0959.phi001.humanitext-lat2:2.3.1-2.3.18

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

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