But the girl is not unbeautiful, but she is not poorly groomed, and, I think, she was not often sought by my vows (indeed, she was)!
§3.7.3Hanc tamen in nullos tenui male languidus usus, §3.7.4Sed iacui pigro crimen onusque toro; §3.7.5Nec potui cupiens, pariter cupiente puella, §3.7.6Inguinis effeti parte iuvante frui.
Yet I held her, weakly languid, having no fruitful use of her, but lay on the sluggish bed, a disgrace and a burden; nor was I able, though desiring, and the girl desiring equally, to enjoy the pleasure-giving part of my exhausted groin.
§3.7.7Illa quidem nostro subiecit eburnea collo §3.7.8Bracchia Sithonia candidiora nive, §3.7.9Osculaque inseruit cupida luctantia lingua §3.7.10Lascivum femori supposuitque femur, §3.7.11Et mihi blanditias dixit dominumque vocavit, §3.7.12Et quae praeterea publica verba iuvant.
She indeed placed her ivory arms beneath my neck, arms whiter than Sithonian snow, and planted kisses with a longing, struggling tongue, and placed her playful thigh beneath my thigh, and spoke sweet words to me and called me her lord, and those other common words that please.
§3.7.13Tacta tamen veluti gelida mea membra cicuta §3.7.14Segnia propositum destituere meum; §3.7.15Truncus iners iacui, species et inutile pondus, §3.7.16Et non exactum, corpus an umbra forem.
Yet my limbs, as if touched by cold hemlock, sluggishly failed my purpose; I lay like an inert trunk, a mere appearance and a useless weight, and it was not clear whether I was a body or a shadow.
§3.7.17Quae mihi ventura est, siquidem ventura, senectus, §3.7.18Cum desit numeris ipsa iuventa suis?
What old age is to come to me, if indeed it is to come, when youth itself is lacking in its own functions?
§3.7.19A, pudet annorum: quo me iuvenemque virumque?
Ah, I am ashamed of my years: to what purpose am I a youth and a man?
§3.7.20Nec iuvenem nec me sensit amica virum!
My mistress felt me to be neither a youth nor a man!
Thus the eternal priestess, about to approach the sacred flames, rises, and the reverend sister from her dear brother.
§3.7.23At nuper bis flava Chlide, ter candida Pitho, §3.7.24Ter Libas officio continuata meo est; §3.7.25Exigere a nobis angusta nocte Corinnam §3.7.26Me memini numeros sustinuisse novem.
Yet recently golden Chlide twice, fair Pitho thrice, and Libas thrice was kept joined in my service; I remember that I sustained nine times the number of nine times, as demanded by Corinna.
§3.7.27Num mea Thessalico languent devota veneno
Are my limbs languishing, cursed by Thessalian poison?
§3.7.28Corpora? num misero carmen et herba nocent,
Do a spell and an herb harm wretched me?
Or has a witch pierced my name in reddish wax and driven a thin needle into the middle of my liver?
§3.7.31Carmine laesa Ceres sterilem vanescit in herbam, §3.7.32Deficiunt laesi carmine fontis aquae, §3.7.33Ilicibus glandes cantataque vitibus uva §3.7.34Decidit, et nullo poma movente fluunt.
Ceres, harmed by a spell, vanishes into sterile grass; by a spell, harmed waters of a fountain fail; acorns from holm-oaks and grapes from enchanted vines fall down, and fruits drop though no one shakes them.
§3.7.35Quid vetat et nervos magicas torpere per artes?
What prevents my sinews too from becoming numb through magic arts?
§3.7.36Forsitan inpatiens fit latus inde meum.
Perhaps my loin becomes incapable from that.
To this, shame was added: the very shame of the occurrence was doing harm; that was the second cause of my failing.
Thus even by her own tunic is she touched. But what a girl I saw and only touched!
At her touch, the Pylian elder might become young again, and Tithonus become stronger than his years.
§3.7.43Haec mihi contigerat; sed vir non contigit illi.
She had fallen to my lot; but a man did not fall to her lot.
§3.7.44Quas nunc concipiam per nova vota preces?
What prayers shall I now conceive through new vows?
I believe that even the great gods regretted the gift they had offered.
I was certainly wishing to be admitted — indeed, I was admitted; to take kisses — I took them; to be closest — I was.
§3.7.49Quo mihi fortunae tantum? quo regna sine usu?
To what purpose have I such great fortune? To what purpose kingdoms without use?
§3.7.50Quid, nisi possedi dives avarus opes?
What did I do, except possess wealth like a greedy rich man?
Thus the betrayer of the silent secret dries in the midst of waters, and has fruits which he may touch at no time.
Does anyone rise thus in the morning from a tender girl, so that he could immediately go to the sacred gods?
But, I think, she did not waste kisses on me without charm, nor did she fail to woo me with all her power!
She could have moved heavy oaks and hard adamant and rocks deaf to her blandishments.
She was certainly worthy to move living men and heroes; but neither did I live then, nor was I a man as before.
§3.7.61Quid iuvet, ad surdas si cantet Phemius aures?
What would it please, if Phemius should sing to deaf ears?
§3.7.62Quid miserum Thamyran picta tabella iuvat?
What does a painted tablet help wretched Thamyras?
§3.7.63At quae non tacita formavi gaudia mente!
Yet what joys did I not shape in my silent mind!
§3.7.64Quos ego non finxi disposuique modos!
What ways did I not imagine and arrange!
§3.7.65Nostra tamen iacuere velut praemortua membra §3.7.66Turpiter hesterna languidiora rosa — §3.7.67Quae nunc, ecce, vigent intempestiva valentque, §3.7.68Nunc opus exposcunt militiamque suam.
Yet my limbs lay as if dead before their time, more shamefully withered than a yesterday's rose — which now, look, thrive out of season and are strong, now they demand work and their own warfare.
§3.7.69Quin istic pudibunda iaces, pars pessima nostri?
Why do you not lie there in shame, worst part of me?
§3.7.70Sic sum pollicitis captus et ante tuis.
Thus have I been deceived by your promises before too.
You deceive your master; through you, caught unarmed, I have suffered sad losses with great shame.
§3.7.73Hanc etiam non est mea dedignata puella §3.7.74Molliter admota sollicitare manu; §3.7.75Sed postquam nullas consurgere posse per artes §3.7.76Inmemoremque sui procubuisse videt, §3.7.77'Quid me ludis?' ait, 'quis te, male sane, iubebat §3.7.78Invitum nostro ponere membra toro?
Even this part my girl did not disdain to arouse with her gently applied hand; but after she saw that it could rise by no skills, and that it lay collapsed, unmindful of itself, she said: 'Why do you mock me? Who, madman, was ordering you unwillingly to place your limbs on our bed?
§3.7.79Aut te traiectis Aeaea venefica lanis §3.7.80Devovet, aut alio lassus amore venis. ' §3.7.81Nec mora, desiluit tunica velata soluta — §3.7.82Et decuit nudos proripuisse pedes! — §3.7.83Neve suae possent intactam scire ministrae, §3.7.84Dedecus hoc sumpta dissimulavit aqua.
Either the Aeaean witch curses you with crossed wools, or you come exhausted by another love.' Without delay, she leapt out, covered only by her loosened tunic — and it became her to have rushed away with bare feet! — and so that her maids could not know she was untouched, she concealed this disgrace by taking water.