§19.142Seducit terras haec brevis unda duas.
This narrow wave separates two lands.
§19.143Te decet aut magnas magnum iactare carinas, §19.144Aut etiam totis classibus esse trucem; §19.145Turpe deo pelagi iuvenem terrere natantem, §19.146Gloriaque est stagno quolibet ista minor.
It becomes you, a great god, either to toss great ships, or to be fierce even against whole fleets; it is shameful for the god of the sea to terrify a swimming youth, and that glory of yours is less than any pool.
To be sure, he is noble and famous in origin, but he does not trace his descent from Ulysses, who is hated by you.
Grant pardon and save us two! He is swimming, but in those same waters the body of Leander and my hope hang suspended.
§19.151Sternuit en lumen! — posito nam scribimus illo — §19.152Sternuit et nobis prospera signa dedit.
Look, the lamp has sputtered! — for I write with it placed near — it has sputtered and given us favorable signs.
§19.153Ecce, merum nutrix faustos instillat in ignes, §19.154'Cras' que 'erimus plures,' inquit, et ipsa bibit.
Behold, the nurse pours pure wine onto the auspicious fires, and says, "Tomorrow we shall be more in number," and she herself drinks.
Make us more, gliding through the conquered seas, O you who have been received utterly in my whole heart!
Return to your camp, deserter of our shared love; why are my limbs placed in the middle of the bed?
§19.159Quod timeas, non est! auso Venus ipsa favebit, §19.160Sternet et aequoreas aequore nata vias.
There is nothing for you to fear! Venus herself will favor the one who dares, and she, born of the sea, will smooth the watery ways.
Often I myself have a mind to go through the midst of the waves, but this strait is wont to be safer for males.
For why, of Phrixus and the sister of Phrixus carried here, did only the woman give her name to the vast waters?
Perhaps you fear lest time be lacking for the return, or you cannot bear the burden of the double labor.
§19.167At nos diversi medium coeamus in aequor §19.168Obviaque in summis oscula demus aquis, §19.169Atque ita quisque suas iterum redeamus ad urbes; §19.170Exiguum, sed plus quam nihil illud erit!
But let us, from different sides, meet in the middle of the sea and give meeting kisses on the surface of the waters, and so let each of us return again to our own cities; that will be a small thing, but it will be more than nothing!
Would that either this shame, which forces us to love in secret, or our timid love would wish to yield to reputation!
§19.173Nunc, male res iunctae, calor et reverentia pugnant.
Now, poorly joined things, passion and reverence fight.
§19.174Quid sequar, in dubio est; haec decet, ille iuvat.
Which I should follow is in doubt; the latter is becoming, the former pleases.
§19.175Ut semel intravit Colchos Pagasaeus Iason, §19.176Inpositam celeri Phasida puppe tulit; §19.177Ut semel Idaeus Lacedaemona venit adulter, §19.178Cum praeda rediit protinus ille sua.
As soon as Pagasaean Jason entered the Colchians, he carried off the daughter of Phasis placed on his swift ship; as soon as the Idaean adulterer came to Lacedaemon, he returned immediately with his prey.
§19.179Tu quam saepe petis, quod amas, tam saepe relinquis, §19.180Et quotiens grave sit puppibus ire, natas.
You, as often as you seek what you love, so often do you leave it, and as often as it is difficult for ships to go, you swim.
§19.181Sic tamen, o iuvenis tumidarum victor aquarum, §19.182Sic facito spernas, ut vereare, fretum!
Yet even so, O youth, victor over the swollen waters, see to it that you despise the strait in such a way that you fear it!
Ships built with art are sunk by the sea; do you think your arms can do more than oars?
§19.185Quod cupis, hoc nautae metuunt, Leandre, natare; §19.186Exitus hic fractis puppibus esse solet.
What you desire, Leander, is what sailors fear, namely to swim; this is wont to be the end when ships are broken.
§19.187Me miseram! cupio non persuadere, quod hortor, §19.188Sisque, precor, monitis fortior ipse meis — §19.189Dummodo pervenias excussaque saepe per undas §19.190Inicias umeris bracchia lassa meis!
Wretched me! I desire not to persuade you of what I urge, and I pray that you yourself may be stronger than my warnings — provided only that you arrive and, through the waves so often shaken, fling your tired arms around my shoulders!
§19.191Sed mihi, caeruleas quotiens obvertor ad undas, §19.192Nescio quo pavidum frigore pectus hebet.
But for me, as often as I turn toward the blue waves, my trembling heart grows numb with some strange chill.
Nor am I less confused by the image of yesterday's night, although it has been expiated by my sacred rites.
§19.195Namque sub aurora, iam dormitante lucerna, §19.196Somnia quo cerni tempore vera solent, §19.197Stamina de digitis cecidere sopore remissis, §19.198Collaque pulvino nostra ferenda dedi.
For just before dawn, when the lamp was already slumbering, at which time true dreams are wont to be seen, the threads fell from my fingers relaxed by sleep, and I gave my neck to be supported by the pillow.
§19.199Hic ego ventosas nantem delphina per undas §19.200Cernere non dubia sum mihi visa fide, §19.201Quem postquam bibulis inlisit fluctus harenis, §19.202Unda simul miserum vitaque deseruit.
Here, I seemed to myself to see with no doubtful certainty a dolphin swimming through the windy waves, which, after the wave dashed it onto the thirsty sands, the water and life at the same time deserted the wretched thing.
§19.203Quidquid id est, timeo; nec tu mea somnia ride §19.204Nec nisi tranquillo bracchia crede mari!
Whatever it is, I fear; do not laugh at my dreams, nor trust your arms unless to a calm sea!
If you do not spare yourself, spare your beloved girl, who shall never be safe unless you are safe!
Yet there is hope of near peace in the broken waters; cleave the calm ways with your whole breast!