Humanitext Reader

Ovid · The Loves §3.2.1-3.2.84

Courting a Woman at the Circus Races

Passage 39 of 53 · Latin

Summary

The poet, sitting in the spectator stands of the Circus, courts a beautiful woman next to him and expresses his passionate love through the events of the chariot race.

§3.2.1'Non ego nobilium sedeo studiosus equorum; §3.2.2Cui tamen ipsa faves, vincat ut ille, precor.
'I do not sit here as a fan of noble horses; yet I pray that the one whom you yourself favor may win.
§3.2.3Ut loquerer tecum veni, tecumque sederem, §3.2.4Ne tibi non notus, quem facis, esset amor.
I came so that I might speak with you, and sit with you, lest the love which you inspire should be unknown to you.
§3.2.5Tu cursus spectas, ego te; spectemus uterque §3.2.6Quod iuvat, atque oculos pascat uterque suos.
You watch the races, I watch you; let us each watch what pleases us, and let each feast his own eyes.
§3.2.7O, cuicumque faves, felix agitator equorum!
O, happy driver of horses, whoever it is you favor!
§3.2.8Ergo illi curae contigit esse tuae?
So has it fallen to his lot to be your care?
§3.2.9Hoc mihi contingat, sacro de carcere missis §3.2.10Insistam forti mente vehendus equis, §3.2.11Et modo lora dabo, modo verbere terga notabo, §3.2.12Nunc stringam metas interiore rota.
May this lot fall to me, that when the horses are sent from the sacred barrier I should press on, to be carried with a brave mind, and now I will give them rein, now mark their backs with the whip, now graze the turning posts with my inner wheel.
§3.2.13Si mihi currenti fueris conspecta, morabor, §3.2.14Deque meis manibus lora remissa fluent.
If I catch sight of you as I run, I shall linger, and the loosened reins will flow down from my hands.
§3.2.15At quam paene Pelops Pisaea concidit hasta, §3.2.16Dum spectat vultus, Hippodamia, tuos!
Ah, how nearly Pelops fell by the Pisand spear, while he watched your face, Hippodamia!
§3.2.17Nempe favore suae vicit tamen ille puellae.
To be sure, he won nevertheless by the favor of his girl.
§3.2.18Vincamus dominae quisque favore suae!
Let us each win by the favor of our mistress!
§3.2.19Quid frustra refugis? cogit nos linea iungi.
Why do you draw back in vain? The boundary line forces us to be joined.
§3.2.20Haec in lege loci commoda circus habet — §3.2.21Tu tamen a dextra, quicumque es, parce puellae; §3.2.22Contactu lateris laeditur ista tui.
The circus has these advantages in the law of the place — but you on the right, whoever you are, spare the girl; she is hurt by the contact of your side.
§3.2.23Tu quoque, qui spectas post nos, tua contrahe crura, §3.2.24Si pudor est, rigido nec preme terga genu!
You too, who watch behind us, draw back your legs, if you have any shame, and do not press her back with your hard knee!
§3.2.25Sed nimium demissa iacent tibi pallia terra.
But your cloak lies trailing too low on the ground.
§3.2.26Collige — vel digitis en ego tollo meis!
Gather it up — or see, I lift it with my own fingers!
§3.2.27Invida vestis eras, quae tam bona crura tegebas; §3.2.28Quoque magis spectes — invida vestis eras!
You were an envious garment, which covered such good legs; and so that you may see more — you were an envious garment!
§3.2.29Talia Milanion Atalantes crura fugacis §3.2.30Optavit manibus sustinuisse suis.
Such legs Milanion wished to have held with his own hands, the legs of fleet Atalanta.
§3.2.31Talia pinguntur succinctae crura Dianae §3.2.32Cum sequitur fortes, fortior ipsa, feras.
Such legs of girt-up Diana are painted, when she, herself braver, pursues brave beasts.
§3.2.33His ego non visis arsi; quid fiet ab ipsis?
I burned when these were not seen; what will happen from them themselves?
§3.2.34In flammam flammas, in mare fundis aquas.
You pour flames into flame, and waters into the sea.
§3.2.35Suspicor ex istis et cetera posse placere, §3.2.36Quae bene sub tenui condita veste latent.
I suspect from these that the rest also can please, which lie well hidden and concealed under your thin dress.
§3.2.37Vis tamen interea faciles arcessere ventos?
But do you wish, meanwhile, to summon gentle breezes?
§3.2.38Quos faciet nostra mota tabella manu.
Which a tablet moved by our hand will make.
§3.2.39An magis hic meus est animi, non aeris aestus, §3.2.40Captaque femineus pectora torret amor?
Or is this rather the heat of my mind, not of the air, and does a female love scorch my captured breast?
§3.2.41Dum loquor, alba levi sparsa est tibi pulvere vestis.
While I speak, your white dress is sprinkled with light dust.
§3.2.42Sordide de niveo corpore pulvis abi!
Depart, dirty dust, from her snow-white body!
§3.2.43Sed iam pompa venit — linguis animisque favete!
But now the procession comes — favor with tongues and minds!
§3.2.44Tempus adest plausus — aurea pompa venit.
The time for applause is here — the golden procession comes.
§3.2.45Prima loco fertur passis Victoria pinnis — §3.2.46Huc ades et meus hic fac, dea, vincat amor!
First in place is carried Victory with outspread wings — come here, goddess, and make this love of mine win!
§3.2.47Plaudite Neptuno, nimium qui creditis undis!
Applaud Neptune, you who trust too much in the waves!
§3.2.48Nil mihi cum pelago; me mea terra capit.
I have nothing to do with the sea; my own land holds me.
§3.2.49Plaude tuo Marti, miles! nos odimus arma; §3.2.50Pax iuvat et media pace repertus amor.
Applaud your Mars, soldier! We hate arms; peace pleases, and love found in the midst of peace.
§3.2.51Auguribus Phoebus, Phoebe venantibus adsit!
Let Phoebus be present for augurs, Phoebe for hunters!
§3.2.52Artifices in te verte, Minerva, manus!
Turn skilled hands to you, Minerva!
§3.2.53Ruricolae, Cereri teneroque adsurgite Baccho!
Countrymen, rise up for Ceres and tender Bacchus!
§3.2.54Pollucem pugiles, Castora placet eques!
Let boxers appease Pollux, the horseman Castor!
§3.2.55Nos tibi, blanda Venus, puerisque potentibus arcu §3.2.56Plaudimus; inceptis adnue, diva, meis
We applaud you, gentle Venus, and your boys powerful with the bow; nod, goddess, to my undertakings, and give a mind to my new mistress!
§3.2.57Daque novae mentem dominae! patiatur amari!
Let her allow herself to be loved!
§3.2.58Adnuit et motu signa secunda dedit.
She nodded and gave favorable signs by her movement.
§3.2.59Quod dea promisit, promittas ipsa, rogamus; §3.2.60Pace loquar Veneris, tu dea maior eris.
What the goddess promised, we ask that you yourself promise; by the leave of Venus I will speak, you will be the greater goddess.
§3.2.61Per tibi tot iuro testes pompamque deorum, §3.2.62Te dominam nobis tempus in omne peti!
I swear to you by so many witnesses and the procession of the gods, that you are sought as my mistress for all time!
§3.2.63Sed pendent tibi crura.
But your legs are dangling.
potes, si forte iuvabit, §3.2.64Cancellis primos inseruisse pedes.
You can, if by chance it will please you, insert the tips of your feet into the grating.
§3.2.65Maxima iam vacuo praetor spectacula circo §3.2.66Quadriiugos aequo carcere misit equos.
Now the praetor, with the circus empty, has sent the four-horse chariots from the level barrier as the greatest spectacle.
§3.2.67Cui studeas, video.
I see whom you favor.
vincet, cuicumque favebis.
Whoever you favor will win.
§3.2.68Quid cupias, ipsi scire videntur equi.
The horses themselves seem to know what you desire.
§3.2.69Me miserum, metam spatioso circuit orbe!
Ah, wretched me, he has rounded the turning post in a wide circle!
§3.2.70Quid facis? admoto proxumus axe subit.
What are you doing? The next one comes up with his axle close.
§3.2.71Quid facis, infelix? perdis bona vota puellae.
What are you doing, unhappy man? You waste the good wishes of the girl.
§3.2.72Tende, precor, valida lora sinistra manu!
Pull, I pray, the left reins with a strong hand!
§3.2.73Favimus ignavo — sed enim revocate, Quirites, §3.2.74Et date iactatis undique signa togis!
We have favored a coward — but indeed call them back, Quirites, and give signals by tossing your togas from all sides!
§3.2.75En, revocant! — ac ne turbet toga mota capillos, §3.2.76In nostros abdas te licet usque sinus.
See, they are calling back! — and lest the moved toga disturb your hair, you may hide yourself even into our bosom.
§3.2.77Iamque patent iterum reserato carcere postes; §3.2.78Evolat admissis discolor agmen equis.
And now again the gates lie open with the barrier unlocked; the multi-colored band flies out with the horses let loose.
§3.2.79Nunc saltem supera spatioque insurge patenti!
Now at least overcome and press on in the open space!
§3.2.80Sint mea, sint dominae fac rata vota meae!
Make my wishes, make the wishes of my mistress fulfilled!
§3.2.81Sunt dominae rata vota meae, mea vota supersunt.
The wishes of my mistress are fulfilled, my wishes remain.
§3.2.82Ille tenet palmam; palma petenda mea est. ' §3.2.83Risit, et argutis quiddam promisit ocellis.
He holds the palm; my palm is still to be sought.' She smiled, and promised something with her expressive eyes.
§3.2.84'Hoc satis est, alio cetera redde loco!'
'This is enough, render the rest in another place!'

Notes

  1. 3.2.4Ne tibi non notus, quem facis, esset amor. — A double negative (`ne... non`) conveying a strong positive purpose: "lest the love... should be unknown to you." `amor` is the antecedent of the relative clause `quem facis` ("the love which you make/inspire").
  2. 3.2.28Quoque magis spectes — `quo` introduces a purpose clause with the subjunctive `spectes` ("so that you/one may see more [of your legs]"), corresponding to the action of lifting the garment mentioned in the previous line.
  3. 3.2.43linguis animisque favete — A solemn formula used at the beginning of religious rituals, demanding holy silence and well-disposed attention ("favor with tongues and minds") so as not to utter any ill-omened words.
  4. 3.2.81Sunt dominae rata vota meae, mea vota supersunt. — `rata` (feminine plural of `ratus`) means "fulfilled" or "ratified." It contrasts the lady's wishes, which were granted because her favored charioteer won, with the poet's own unfulfilled desire to win her love.

Cite this passage

Ovid, The Loves §3.2.1-3.2.84. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0959.phi001.humanitext-lat2:3.2.1-3.2.84

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