§3.324Fecerunt muros officiosa novos.
made new walls, dutifully.
Although it was mute, the fish is thought to have favored the voice, in the well-known story of Arion's lyre.
Learn also to sweep the festive nablia with both palms: they are suited to sweet dalliances.
§3.329Sit tibi Callimachi, sit Coi nota poetae, §3.330Sit quoque vinosi Teïa Musa senis; §3.331Nota sit et Sappho (quid enim lascivius illa?), §3.332Cuive pater vafri luditur arte Getae.
Let the poems of Callimachus be known to you, let those of the Coan poet be known, and let the Teian Muse of the wine-loving old man also be known; let Sappho too be known (for what is more wanton than she?), or the play in which the father is deceived by the craft of the cunning Geta.
§3.333Et teneri possis carmen legisse Properti, §3.334Sive aliquid Galli, sive, Tibulle, tuum: §3.335Dictaque Varroni fulvis insignia villis §3.336Vellera, germanae, Phrixe, querenda tuae: §3.337Et profugum Aenean, altae primordia Romae, §3.338Quo nullum Latio clarius extat opus.
And may you be able to read the song of tender Propertius, or something of Gallus, or yours, Tibullus: and the fleece sung of by Varro, remarkable for its golden wool, which was to be lamented by your sister, Phrixus; and the exiled Aeneas, the origin of lofty Rome, than which no work stands out more illustriously in Latium.
§3.339Forsitan et nostrum nomen miscebitur istis, §3.340Nec mea Lethaeis scripta dabuntur aquis: §3.341Atque aliquis dicet 'nostri lege culta magistri §3.342Carmina, quis partes instruit ille duas: §3.343Deve tribus libris, titulus quos signat Amorum, §3.344Elige, quod docili molliter ore legas: §3.345Vel tibi composita cantetur Epistola voce: §3.346Ignotum hoc aliis ille novavit opus. ' §3.347O ita, Phoebe, velis! ita vos, pia numina vatum,
Perhaps our name too will be mingled with those, nor will my writings be given to the waters of Lethe: and someone will say, 'Read the elegant poems of our master, with which he instructs both sides; or from the three books which the title of Amores marks out, choose what you may read softly with a docile mouth; or let an Epistle be sung by you with composed voice: he innovated this work, unknown to others.' O may you wish it so, Phoebus!
§3.348Insignis cornu Bacche, novemque deae!
So you, pious divinities of poets, Bacchus distinguished by your horn, and the nine goddesses!
Who would doubt that I want a girl to know how to dance, so that she may move her arms when bidden, once the wine is set down?
Those skilled of hip, the spectacles of the stage, are loved: so much grace does that agility possess.
§3.353Parva monere pudet, talorum dicere iactus §3.354Ut sciat, et vires, tessera missa, tuas: §3.355Et modo tres iactet numeros, modo cogitet, apte §3.356Quam subeat partem callida, quamque vocet.
It is shameful to advise on small things, to say that she should know the throws of the tali, and your powers, O thrown die: and now she should throw three numbers, now she should cleverly consider which part to enter appropriately, and which to call.
§3.357Cautaque non stulte latronum proelia ludat, §3.358Unus cum gemino calculus hoste perit, §3.359Bellatorque sua prensus sine compare bellat, §3.360Aemulus et coeptum saepe recurrit iter.
And let her play the cautious battles of latrones, not foolishly, when one piece perishes by a double enemy, and a warrior, caught without his companion, fights, and the rival often retraces the path he had begun.
And let smooth balls be poured out from an open net-bag, nor must any ball be moved except the one you lift.
§3.363Est genus, in totidem tenui ratione redactum §3.364Scriptula, quot menses lubricus annus habet: §3.365Parva tabella capit ternos utrimque lapillos, §3.366In qua vicisse est continuasse suos.
There is a kind of game, reduced by delicate calculation to as many lines as the fleeting year has months: a small board holds three pebbles on each side, on which to win is to have aligned one's own.
Practice a thousand amusements; it is shameful for a girl not to know how to play: love is often prepared by playing.
But it is the least labor to use the throws wisely: it is a greater task to have composed one's manners.
§3.371Tum sumus incauti, studioque aperimur in ipso, §3.372Nudaque per lusus pectora nostra patent; §3.373Ira subit, deforme malum, lucrique cupido, §3.374Iurgiaque et rixae sollicitusque dolor: §3.375Crimina dicuntur, resonat clamoribus aether, §3.376Invocat iratos et sibi quisque deos: §3.377Nulla fides, tabulaeque novae per vota petuntur; §3.378Et lacrimis vidi saepe madere genas.
Then we are off our guard, and are revealed in the passion itself, and our bare hearts lie open through the games; anger creeps in, an ugly evil, and desire for gain, and quarrels and brawls and anxious grief: accusations are uttered, the air resounds with clamor, and everyone invokes the gods angry at themselves: there is no trust, and new tablets are sought through vows; and I have often seen cheeks wet with tears.
May Jupiter drive away from you such foul faults, you in whom there is any care to please any man.
Nature bestowed these quiet amusements on girls; men play with richer material.
They have swift balls, the javelin, hoops, weapons, and the horse forced to go in circles.
Neither does the Campus hold you, nor the icy-cold Virgo, nor does the Tuscan river carry you down in its calm water.
§3.387At licet et prodest Pompeias ire per umbras, §3.388Virginis aetheriis cum caput ardet equis; §3.389Visite laurigero sacrata Palatia Phoebo: §3.390Ille Paraetonicas mersit in alta rates; §3.391Quaeque soror coniunxque ducis monimenta pararunt, §3.392Navalique gener cinctus honore caput; §3.393Visite turicremas vaccae Memphitidos aras, §3.394Visite conspicuis terna theatra locis; §3.395Spectentur tepido maculosae sanguine harenae, §3.396Metaque ferventi circueunda rota.
But it is allowed and beneficial to go through the shade of Pompey, when the head of the Virgin burns with celestial horses; visit the Palatine sacred to laurel-bearing Phoebus: he sank the Paraetonian ships in the deep; and the monuments which the sister and the wife of the leader prepared, and the son-in-law whose head is girt with naval honor; visit the incense-burning altars of the Memphian cow, visit the three theaters in their conspicuous places; let the sands stained with warm blood be watched, and the meta to be rounded by the glowing wheel.
§3.397Quod latet, ignotum est: ignoti nulla cupido: §3.398Fructus abest, facies cum bona teste caret.
What lies hidden is unknown: there is no desire for the unknown: fruit is lacking when a good face lacks a witness.
Though you may surpass both Thamyras and Amoebeus in song, there will be no great favor for an unknown lyre.
If Coan Apelles had never placed Venus, she would lie hidden, merged under the sea-waters.
§3.403Quid petitur sacris, nisi tantum fama, poetis?
What is sought by sacred poets, except only fame?
§3.404Hoc votum nostri summa laboris habet.
This vow has the summit of our labor.
Once poets were the care of gods and kings: and ancient choruses carried off great rewards.