§2.449Quae, simul invitas crimen pervenit ad aures, §2.450Excidit, et miserae voxque colorque fugit.
As soon as the crime reaches her unwilling ears, she faints, and voice and color flee from the wretched girl.
§2.451Ille ego sim, cuius laniet furiosa capillos: §2.452Ille ego sim, teneras cui petat ungue genas, §2.453Quem videat lacrimans, quem torvis spectet ocellis, §2.454Quo sine non possit vivere, posse velit.
Let me be that man whose hair she tears in her fury: let me be that man whose tender cheeks she attacks with her nails, whom she looks at weeping, whom she glares at with grim eyes, without whom she cannot live, yet wishes she could.
§2.455Si spatium quaeras, breve sit, quo laesa queratur, §2.456Ne lenta vires colligat ira mora; §2.457Candida iamdudum cingantur colla lacertis, §2.458Inque tuos flens est accipienda sinus.
If you seek a delay, let it be brief, in which the injured girl complains, lest lingering anger gather strength by delay; let her white neck soon be encircled by your arms, and she must be received weeping into your bosom.
Give kisses to her weeping, give the joys of Venus to her weeping, there will be peace: in this one way is anger dissolved.
§2.461Cum bene saevierit, cum certa videbitur hostis, §2.462Tum pete concubitus foedera, mitis erit.
When she has raged well, when she seems a certain enemy, then seek the treaty of intercourse; she will be gentle.
There Concord dwells, her weapons laid aside: in that place, believe me, Grace was born.
§2.465Quae modo pugnarunt, iungunt sua rostra columbae, §2.466Quarum blanditias verbaque murmur habet.
The doves, which just now fought, join their beaks, whose murmurs hold caresses and words.
§2.467Prima fuit rerum confusa sine ordine moles, §2.468Unaque erat facies sidera, terra, fretum; §2.469Mox caelum impositum terris, humus aequore cincta est §2.470Inque suas partes cessit inane chaos; §2.471Silva feras, volucres aer accepit habendas, §2.472In liquida, pisces, delituistis aqua.
At first there was a confused mass of things without order, and stars, earth, and sea had one single appearance; soon the sky was placed over the earth, the ground was encircled by the sea, and empty chaos retreated into its own parts; the forest received wild beasts, the air birds to be held, and you, O fish, hid yourselves in the clear water.
§2.473Tum genus humanum solis errabat in agris, §2.474Idque merae vires et rude corpus erat; §2.475Silva domus fuerat, cibus herba, cubilia frondes: §2.476Iamque diu nulli cognitus alter erat.
Then the human race was wandering in lonely fields, and that was mere strength and a rude body; the forest had been their home, grass their food, leaves their bedding: and for a long time, no one was known to another.
§2.477Blanda truces animos fertur mollisse voluptas: §2.478Constiterant uno femina virque loco; §2.479Quid facerent, ipsi nullo didicere magistro: §2.480Arte Venus nulla dulce peregit opus.
Sweet pleasure is said to have softened their fierce minds: a woman and a man had stood in a single place; what they should do, they themselves learned with no teacher: Venus completed her sweet work with no art.
§2.481Ales habet, quod amet; cum quo sua gaudia iungat, §2.482Invenit in media femina piscis aqua; §2.483Cerva parem sequitur, serpens serpente tenetur, §2.484Haeret adulterio cum cane nexa canis; §2.485Laeta salitur ovis: tauro quoque laeta iuvenca est: §2.486Sustinet inmundum sima capella marem; §2.487In furias agitantur equae, spatioque remota §2.488Per loca dividuos amne sequuntur equos.
A bird has what it loves; with whom she may join her joys, the female fish finds in the midst of the water; the hind follows her mate, the serpent is held by the serpent, the dog clings joined to the dog in intercourse; the sheep is joyfully leaped upon: the heifer too is joyful with the bull: the flat-nosed she-goat tolerates her unclean mate; mares are driven into madness, and through distant places separated by a river they follow the stallions.
§2.489Ergo age et iratae medicamina fortia praebe: §2.490Illa feri requiem sola doloris habent: §2.491Illa Machaonios superant medicamina sucos: §2.492His, ubi peccaris, restituendus eris.
Therefore, come, and offer powerful remedies to the angry girl: those alone hold relief from fierce pain: those remedies surpass Machaonian juices: by these, when you have sinned, you must be restored.
While I was singing these things, suddenly manifest Apollo moved the strings of his gilded lyre with his thumb.
In his hands was laurel, and on his sacred hair laurel was placed; that poet-god approaches to be seen.
§2.497Is mihi 'Lascivi' dixit 'praeceptor Amoris, §2.498Duc, age, discipulos ad mea templa tuos, §2.499Est ubi diversum fama celebrata per orbem §2.500Littera, cognosci quae sibi quemque iubet.
He said to me, 'Teacher of wanton Love, come, lead your disciples to my temples, where there is an inscription celebrated by fame throughout the diverse world, which orders each person to be known to himself.
He who is known to himself will alone love wisely, and will perform every task according to his own strength.
§2.503Cui faciem natura dedit, spectetur ab illa: §2.504Cui color est, umero saepe patente cubet: §2.505Qui sermone placet, taciturna silentia vitet: §2.506Qui canit arte, canat; qui bibit arte, bibat.
He to whom nature has given a fine face, let him be looked at for it: he who has a good complexion, let him lie down often with his shoulder exposed: he who pleases with speech, let him avoid silent stillness: he who sings skillfully, let him sing; he who drinks skillfully, let him drink.
§2.507Sed neque declament medio sermone diserti, §2.508Nec sua non sanus scripta poeta legat!' §2.509Sic monuit Phoebus: Phoebo parete monenti; §2.510Certa dei sacro est huius in ore fides.
But let not the eloquent declaim in the middle of conversation, nor let an insane poet read his own writings!' Thus Phoebus advised: obey Phoebus when he advises; certain is the trust in the sacred mouth of this god.
§2.511Ad propiora vocor.
I am called to closer matters.
Quisquis sapienter amabit §2.512Vincet, et e nostra, quod petet, arte feret.
Whoever loves wisely will win, and will carry away from our art what he seeks.
§2.513Credita non semper sulci cum faenore reddunt, §2.514Nec semper dubias adiuvat aura rates; §2.515Quod iuvat, exiguum, plus est, quod laedat amantes; §2.516Proponant animo multa ferenda suo.
The furrows do not always return what was entrusted with interest, nor does the breeze always assist the doubtful ships; what pleases is small, more is what hurts lovers; let them propose in their minds many things to be borne.
§2.517Quot lepores in Atho, quot apes pascuntur in Hybla, §2.518Caerula quot bacas Palladis arbor habet, §2.519Litore quot conchae, tot sunt in amore dolores; §2.520Quae patimur, multo spicula felle madent.
As many hares as feed on Athos, as many bees on Hybla, as many berries as the blue-green tree of Pallas has, as many shells as are on the shore, so many are the griefs in love; the arrows we suffer are wet with much gall.
§2.521Dicta erit isse foras: intus fortasse videre est:
She will be said to have gone out: perhaps she is to be seen inside: