Let it now be your task to capture her mind secretly with sweet flatteries, just as an overhanging bank is eaten away from below by clear water.
§1.621Nec faciem, nec te pigeat laudare capillos §1.622Et teretes digitos exiguumque pedem: §1.623Delectant etiam castas praeconia formae; §1.624Virginibus curae grataque forma sua est.
Nor let it displease you to praise her face, nor her hair, and her slender fingers and tiny foot: Even chaste women are delighted by praises of their beauty; to young girls, their own form is a care and a pleasure.
For why, in the Phrygian woods, does it even now shame Juno and Pallas not to have maintained the judgment?
The bird of Juno displays her feathers when they are praised: if you watch in silence, she hides her treasures.
Among the four-legged beasts in the contest of the swift race, combed manes and patted necks give pleasure.
Nor promise timidly: promises attract girls; add any gods you wish as witnesses to your promise.
Jupiter from on high laughs at the false oaths of lovers, and orders the Aeolian south winds to carry them away as invalid.
Jupiter was accustomed to swear falsely to Juno by the Styx; now he himself favors his own example.
§1.637Expedit esse deos, et, ut expedit, esse putemus; §1.638Dentur in antiquos tura merumque focos; §1.639Nec secura quies illos similisque sopori §1.640Detinet; innocue vivite: numen adest; §1.641Reddite depositum; pietas sua foedera servet: §1.642Fraus absit; vacuas caedis habete manus.
It is convenient that there are gods, and, since it is convenient, let us believe they exist; let incense and unmixed wine be given to the ancient altars; Nor does a carefree rest and something like sleep hold them back; live innocently: the deity is near; Return what is deposited; let piety keep its covenants: let deceit be absent; keep your hands free from slaughter.
Cheat, if you are wise, only girls with impunity: in this single deception, good faith is less to be maintained.
Deceive those who deceive: they are for the most part an unholy race: let them fall into the traps they themselves set.
§1.647Dicitur Aegyptos caruisse iuvantibus arva §1.648Imbribus, atque annos sicca fuisse novem, §1.649Cum Thrasius Busirin adit, monstratque piari §1.650Hospitis adfuso sanguine posse Iovem.
Egypt is said to have lacked rains that help the fields, and to have been dry for nine years, when Thrasius approaches Busiris and shows that Jupiter can be appeased by spilling the blood of a stranger.
§1.651Illi Busiris 'fies Iovis hostia primus,' §1.652Inquit 'et Aegypto tu dabis hospes aquam. ' §1.653Et Phalaris tauro violenti membra Perilli §1.654Torruit: infelix inbuit auctor opus.
To him Busiris says: "You shall become Jupiter's first victim, and you, a stranger, shall give water to Egypt." And Phalaris roasted the limbs of violent Perillus in the bull: the unhappy author initiated his own work.
§1.655Iustus uterque fuit: neque enim lex aequior ulla est, §1.656Quam necis artifices arte perire sua.
Both were just: for there is no law more equitable than that the creators of death perish by their own art.
Therefore, so that perjury may deservedly deceive perjured women, let the injured woman grieve by her own example.
§1.659Et lacrimae prosunt: lacrimis adamanta movebis: §1.660Fac madidas videat, si potes, illa genas.
And tears are useful: with tears you will move adamant: see to it that she sees your wet cheeks, if you can.
If tears fail (for they do not always come at the right time), touch your eyes with a wet hand.
§1.663Quis sapiens blandis non misceat oscula verbis?
What wise man would not mix kisses with sweet words?
§1.664Illa licet non det, non data sume tamen.
Though she may not give them, take them nonetheless when not given.
Perhaps she will fight at first, and say "wicked!"; yet by fighting she will wish to be conquered.
Only take care lest badly snatched kisses harm her tender lips, and lest she be able to complain that they were rough.
§1.669Oscula qui sumpsit, si non et cetera sumet, §1.670Haec quoque, quae data sunt, perdere dignus erit.
He who has taken kisses, if he does not take the rest as well, will deserve to lose even those which have been given.
§1.671Quantum defuerat pleno post oscula voto?
How much was missing after kisses for the full fulfillment of your vow?
§1.672Ei mihi, rusticitas, non pudor ille fuit.
Ah me, that was rusticity, not modesty.
§1.673Vim licet appelles: grata est vis ista puellis: §1.674Quod iuvat, invitae saepe dedisse volunt.
You may call it force: that force is pleasing to girls: what delights them, they often want to have given against their will.
§1.675Quaecumque est veneris subita violata rapina, §1.676Gaudet, et inprobitas muneris instar habet.
Whichever woman has been violated by the sudden plunder of Venus rejoices, and the boldness is like a gift to her.
But she who, though she could have been forced, went away untouched, though she may feign joy in her face, will be sad.
Phoebe suffered force: force was brought upon her sister; and each ravisher was pleasing to the ravished girl.
A well-known story indeed, but not unworthy to be related, is that of the Scyrian girl united to the Haemonian man.
§1.683Iam dea laudatae dederat mala praemia formae §1.684Colle sub Idaeo vincere digna duas: §1.685Iam nurus ad Priamum diverso venerat orbe, §1.686Graiaque in Iliacis moenibus uxor erat: §1.687Iurabant omnes in laesi verba mariti: §1.688Nam dolor unius publica causa fuit.
Already the goddess, worthy to defeat two others under the Idaean hill, had given the baneful reward for her praised beauty: Already a daughter-in-law had come to Priam from another world, and a Greek wife was within the Iliac walls: All were swearing to the words of the injured husband: for the grief of one was a public cause.
§1.689Turpe, nisi hoc matris precibus tribuisset, Achilles §1.690Veste virum longa dissimulatus erat.
Achilles, it would have been shameful had he not granted this to his mother's prayers, had concealed the man under a long garment.
§1.691Quid facis, Aeacide? non sunt tua munera lanae;
What are you doing, descendant of Aeacus?
§1.692Tu titulos alia Palladis arte petas.
Wool-spinning is not your duty; you should seek glory by another art of Pallas.
§1.693Quid tibi cum calathis? clipeo manus apta ferendo est:
What have you to do with baskets?
§1.694Pensa quid in dextra, qua cadet Hector, habes?
Your hand is fit for carrying a shield: why do you hold a task of wool in the right hand by which Hector will fall?
§1.695Reïce succinctos operoso stamine fusos!
Throw away the spindles bound with laborious thread!
§1.696Quassanda est ista Pelias hasta manu.
That Pelian spear must be brandished by your hand.