§16.229Saepe dedi gemitus; et te — lasciva! — notavi
Often I uttered groans; and I noticed that you — mischievous girl! — had not held back your laughter at my groaning.
§16.230In gemitu risum non tenuisse meo. §16.231Saepe mero volui flammam compescere, at illa §16.232Crevit, et ebrietas ignis in igne fuit,
Often I wished to quench my flame with wine, but it grew, and drunkenness was fire upon fire.
And lest I see many things, I lie back with my neck turned away; but you yourself immediately recall my eyes.
What I should do, I doubt; it is my pain to see those things, but a greater pain to be absent from your face.
As far as it is permitted and I am able, I struggle to hide my madness; but yet my dissimulated love appears.
§16.239Nec tibi verba damus; sentis mea vulnera, sentis!
Nor do I deceive you; you perceive my wounds, you perceive them!
§16.240Atque utinam soli sint ea nota tibi!
And would that they were known to you alone!
Ah, how many times I turned away my face as tears were coming, lest he should ask the cause of my weeping!
§16.243A, quotiens aliquem narravi potus amorem, §16.244Ad vulnus referens singula verba meum, §16.245Indiciumque mei ficto sub nomine feci!
Ah, how many times, drunk, I told of some love, referring every single word to my own wound, and made a disclosure of myself under a feigned name!
§16.246Ille ego, si nescis, verus amator eram.
I was that true lover, if you do not know.
Nay even, so that I might be able to use words more boldly, not once only was drunkenness feigned by me.
§16.249Prodita sunt, memini, tunica tua pectora laxa §16.250Atque oculis aditum nuda dedere meis — §16.251Pectora vel puris nivibus vel lacte tuamve §16.252Complexo matrem candidiora Iove.
I remember, your breast was revealed by your loose tunic, and being bare, gave access to my eyes — a breast whiter than pure snow or milk, or Jove when he embraced your mother.
While I was stupefied by what I saw — for by chance I was holding the cups — the twisted handle slipped from my fingers.
If you had given kisses to your daughter, I immediately took them gladly from the tender mouth of Hermione.
And now, lying back, I would sing of ancient loves, and now, by a nod, I would give signs that should be concealed.
§16.259Et comitum primas, Clymenen Aethramque, tuarum §16.260Ausus sum blandis nuper adire sonis, §16.261Quae mihi non aliud, quam formidare, locutae §16.262Orantis medias deseruere preces.
And I even dared recently to approach the chief of your companions, Clymene and Aethra, with coaxing words, who, saying nothing else to me than that they were afraid, left me in the middle of my prayers.
§16.263Di facerent, pretium magni certaminis esses, §16.264Teque suo posset victor habere toro! — §16.265Ut tulit Hippomenes Schoeneida praemia cursus, §16.266Venit ut in Phrygios Hippodamia sinus, §16.267Ut ferus Alcides Acheloia cornua fregit, §16.268Dum petit amplexus, Deianira, tuos.
Would that the gods had made you the prize of a great contest, and the victor could have you for his bed! — As Hippomenes bore away the daughter of Schoeneus as the prize of the race, as Hippodamia came into Phrygian arms, as fierce Alcides broke the horns of Achelous, while he sought your embrace, Deianira.
Under these laws, our boldness would have gone forth bravely, and you would know that you were the work of my labor.
§16.271Nunc mihi nil superest nisi te, formosa, precari, §16.272Amplectique tuos, si patiare, pedes.
Now nothing remains for me, beautiful one, but to entreat you, and to embrace your feet, if you would permit.
§16.273O decus, o praesens geminorum gloria fratrum, §16.274O Iove digna viro, ni Iove nata fores, §16.275Aut ego Sigeos repetam te coniuge portus, §16.276Aut hic Taenaria contegar exul humo!
O honor, O present glory of the twin brothers, O you worthy of Jove as a husband, if you had not been born of Jove, Either I shall return to the Sigean ports with you as my wife, or I shall be covered here as an exile by Taenarian soil!
My breast is not lightly grazed by the tip of an arrow; my wound has descended to the bone!
§16.279Hoc mihi — nam repeto — fore, ut a caeleste sagitta §16.280Figar, erat verax vaticinata soror.
That this would happen to me — for I recall it — that I should be pierced by a heavenly arrow, my truthtelling sister had prophesied.
Refrain, Helen, from despising the love given by the fates — so may you have the gods favorable to your prayers!
Many things indeed come to mind; but so that we may speak of more in person, receive me into your bed in the silent night.
Or are you ashamed and do you fear to violate married Venus and to deceive the chaste laws of the lawful bed?
Ah, too simple Helen, not to say rustic, do you think this beauty can be free from fault?
Either you must change your face or be not hard; there is a great battle of chastity with beauty.
§16.291Iuppiter his gaudet, gaudet Venus aurea furtis; §16.292Haec tibi nempe patrem furta dedere Iovem.
Jove rejoices in these thefts, golden Venus rejoices; indeed these thefts gave Jove to you as a father.
Scarcely can it happen, if there are strengths of character in the seed, that the daughter of both Jove and Leda can be chaste.
Yet be chaste then, when my Troy shall hold you, and let me, I pray, be your only crime.
Now let us commit those sins which the marriage hour will correct, if only Venus has promised no vain things to me!
§16.299Ipse tibi hoc suadet rebus, non voce, maritus, §16.300Neve sui furtis hospitis obstet, abest.
Your husband himself advises this to you by facts, not by voice, and lest he stand in the way of his guest's thefts, he is absent.
He had no more suitable time in which to see the Cretan kingdoms — O husband of wonderful cleverness!
§16.303'Res, et ut Idaei mando tibi,' dixit iturus,
'I entrust my affairs, and those of the Idaean guest, to you,' he said as he was about to depart,