Look, the drunken old man Silenus on his sway-backed donkey scarcely sits, and holds on to the mane pressed forward.
§1.545Dum sequitur Bacchas, Bacchae fugiuntque petuntque §1.546Quadrupedem ferula dum malus urget eques, §1.547In caput aurito cecidit delapsus asello: §1.548Clamarunt satyri 'surge age, surge, pater. ' §1.549Iam deus in curru, quem summum texerat uvis, §1.550Tigribus adiunctis aurea lora dabat: §1.551Et color et Theseus et vox abiere puellae: §1.552Terque fugam petiit, terque retenta metu est.
While he follows the Bacchantes, and the Bacchantes both flee and attack him, and while the bad rider urges his four-legged beast with a staff, he fell headlong, slipping down from the long-eared donkey: the satyrs shouted: 'Come, rise, rise, father!' Now the god in his chariot, the top of which he had covered with grapes, gave golden reins to the yoked tigresses: Both her color, and Theseus, and her voice fled the girl: And three times she sought flight, and three times she was held back by fear.
§1.553Horruit, ut graciles, agitat quas ventus, aristae, §1.554Ut levis in madida canna palude tremit.
She trembled, like the slender ears of grain which the wind stirs, like a light reed trembles in a wet marsh.
§1.555Cui deus 'en, adsum tibi cura fidelior' inquit: §1.556'Pone metum: Bacchi, Cnosias, uxor eris.
To whom the god says: 'Lo, I am here for you, a more faithful care:' 'Lay aside your fear: Cnossian maid, you shall be the wife of Bacchus.
§1.557Munus habe caelum; caelo spectabere sidus; §1.558Saepe reges dubiam Cressa Corona ratem. ' §1.559Dixit, et e curru, ne tigres illa timeret, §1.560Desilit; inposito cessit harena pede: §1.561Implicitamque sinu (neque enim pugnare valebat) §1.562Abstulit; in facili est omnia posse deo.
Accept heaven as my gift; in heaven you shall be gazed upon as a constellation; Often as the Cretan Crown you will guide the uncertain ship.' He spoke, and from his chariot, lest she should fear the tigresses, he leaps down; the sand yielded to his placed foot: and holding her clasped in his bosom (for she had no strength to fight), he carried her off; for it is easy for a god to do all things.
§1.563Pars 'Hymenaee' canunt, pars clamant 'Euhion, euhoe!' §1.564Sic coeunt sacro nupta deusque toro.
Some sing 'Hymenaeus!', others cry 'Euhion, euhoe!' Thus the bride and the god unite on the sacred couch.
§1.565Ergo ubi contigerint positi tibi munera Bacchi, §1.566Atque erit in socii femina parte tori, §1.567Nycteliumque patrem nocturnaque sacra precare, §1.568Ne iubeant capiti vina nocere tuo.
Therefore when the gifts of placed Bacchus fall to your share, and a woman is in your part of the shared couch, pray to father Nyctelius and his nightly rites, lest they order the wines to harm your head.
§1.569Hic tibi multa licet sermone latentia tecto §1.570Dicere, quae dici sentiat illa sibi: §1.571Blanditiasque leves tenui perscribere vino, §1.572Ut dominam in mensa se legat illa tuam: §1.573Atque oculos oculis spectare fatentibus ignem: §1.574Saepe tacens vocem verbaque vultus habet.
Here you may say many things disguised in covered speech, say, which she may perceive are being said to her: and write sweet flatteries in spilled wine, so that she may read herself on the table as your mistress: and gaze with eyes into eyes that confess their flame: often a silent face has a voice and words.
§1.575Fac primus rapias illius tacta labellis §1.576Pocula, quaque bibet parte puella, bibas: §1.577Et quemcumque cibum digitis libaverit illa, §1.578Tu pete, dumque petis, sit tibi tacta manus.
Make sure you are the first to snatch the cup touched by her lips, and drink from that part where the girl drinks: and whatever food she has touched with her fingers, seek it, and while you seek it, let her hand be touched by you.
Let it also be your desire to please the husband of the girl: having become a friend, he will be more useful to you.
To him, if you drink by lot, yield the first turn: let the garland taken from your head be given to him.
Whether he is inferior or equal, let him take everything first: and do not hesitate to speak deferential words to him.
§1.585Tuta frequensque via est, per amici fallere nomen: §1.586Tuta frequensque licet sit via, crimen habet.
It is a safe and common way, to deceive through the name of a friend: although the way may be safe and common, it has guilt.
Hence the proxy manages also too many things, and thinks he must look after more than his instructions.
A certain measure of drinking will be given to you by us: let both your mind and feet perform their duty.
Especially guard against quarrels provoked by wine, and hands too ready for fierce battles.
Eurytion died by foolishly drinking the wines offered; the table and unmixed wine are more suited to sweet jesting.
If you have a voice, sing; if you have supple arms, dance; and please by whatever gift you can.
§1.597Ebrietas ut vera nocet, sic ficta iuvabit: §1.598Fac titubet blaeso subdola lingua sono, §1.599Ut, quicquid facias dicasve protervius aequo, §1.600Credatur nimium causa fuisse merum.
Just as real drunkenness harms, so feigned drunkenness will help: make your crafty tongue falter with a lisping sound, so that whatever you do or say more boldly than is fair, may be believed to have had too much unmixed wine as its cause.
§1.601Et bene dic dominae, bene, cum quo dormiat illa; §1.602Sed, male sit, tacita mente precare, viro.
And speak well of your mistress, and well of him with whom she sleeps; but pray in your silent mind that it may go badly for her husband.
But when the guests depart, the table being removed, the crowd itself will give you access and room.
Blend yourself into the crowd, and having moved gently close to her as she goes, pluck her side with your fingers, and touch foot with foot.
§1.607Conloquii iam tempus adest; fuge rustice longe §1.608Hinc pudor; audentem Forsque Venusque iuvat.
Now is the time for conversation; flee far from here, rustic shame; Fortune and Venus help the bold.
Let your eloquence not come under our laws: only see to it that you desire, you will be eloquent of your own accord.
§1.611Est tibi agendus amans, imitandaque vulnera verbis; §1.612Haec tibi quaeratur qualibet arte fides.
The lover must be played by you, and wounds must be counterfeited by words; let this belief be sought by you by any art.
§1.613Nec credi labor est: sibi quaeque videtur amanda; §1.614Pessima sit, nulli non sua forma placet.
Nor is it a task to be believed: each woman seems to herself worthy of being loved; though she be very bad, her own beauty pleases everyone.
Yet often the pretender has begun to love in earnest, often he became what he had feigned to be at the start.