Always have some Pylades, who may care for Orestes: this too will be a not light utility of friendship.
§591Quid, nisi secretae laeserunt Phyllida silvae?
What is it, except that the secret woods harmed Phyllis?
§592Certa necis causa est: incomitata fuit.
The certain cause of her death is: she was unaccompanied.
§593Ibat, ut Edono referens trieterica Baccho §594Ire solet fusis barbara turba comis, §595Et modo, qua poterat, longum spectabat in aequor, §596Nunc in harenosa lassa iacebat humo.
She was going, just as the barbarian crowd, bringing back the triennial festival to Edonian Bacchus, is accustomed to go with disheveled hair, and now, as far as she could, she kept looking into the long sea, now she lay weary on the sandy ground.
'Treacherous Demophoon!' she kept crying out to the deaf waves, and the words of her speaking were broken by sobbing.
There was a narrow path, slightly darkened by a long shadow, by which she often bore her feet to the sea.
§601Nona terebatur miserae via: 'viderit!' inquit, §602Et spectat zonam pallida facta suam, §603Aspicit et ramos; dubitat, refugitque quod audet §604Et timet, et digitos ad sua colla refert.
For the ninth time was the path trodden by the wretched girl: 'Let him see to it!' she said, and, grown pale, she looks at her girdle, she looks also at the branches; she hesitates, and shrinks back from what she dares, and is afraid, and brings her fingers to her neck.
Maid of Sithonia, then certainly I would wish you had not been alone: the wood would not have wept for Phyllis with its foliage shed.
Fear secret places too much, by the example of Phyllis, you man harmed by a mistress, and you girl harmed by a man.
§609Praestiterat iuvenis quidquid mea Musa iubebat, §610Inque suae portu paene salutis erat: §611Reccidit, ut cupidos inter devenit amantes, §612Et, quae condiderat, tela resumpsit Amor.
A young man had performed whatever my Muse was commanding, and was almost in the harbor of his safety: he fell back, when he came among eager lovers, and Love took up again the weapons which he had put away.
Whoever you are that love, and do not wish to, make sure you avoid contagion; this is often accustomed to harm even cattle.
While eyes look at the hurt ones, they themselves are also hurt, and many things harm bodies by transition.
§617In loca nonnumquam siccis arentia glebis §618De prope currenti flumine manat aqua: §619Manat amor tectus, si non ab amante recedas; §620Turbaque in hoc omnes ingeniosa sumus.
Sometimes water flows into places parched with dry clods of earth from a river running nearby: hidden love flows in, if you do not withdraw from the lover; and in this we are all a clever crowd.
Another likewise was already healthy; proximity harmed him: he could not bear the meeting with his mistress.
The poorly established scar returned into the ancient wound, and my arts did not have success.
A fire very near to houses is kept off with difficulty; it is useful to have abstained from neighboring places.
Neither let the portico, which is accustomed to bear her walking, bear you, nor let the same duty be cultivated.
§629Quid iuvat admonitu tepidam recalescere mentem?
What does it help that the lukewarm mind grows warm again by reminding?
§630Alter, si possis, orbis habendus erit.
Another world, if you can, will have to be possessed.
You, being hungry, will not easily be held back when the table is set, and the leaping wave incites a great thirst.
It is not easy to restrain the bull when a heifer is seen; the strong horse always neighs at the sight of a mare.
When you have performed these things, so that you may at last touch the shores, it is not enough for you to have abandoned her alone.
Let both sister and mother be gone, and the accomplice nurse, and whoever will be any part of your mistress.
Neither let a slave come, nor a weeping maidservant humbly say a feigned 'hail!' in the mistress's name.
§641Nec si scire voles, quid agat, tamen, illa, rogabis;
Nor, if you wish to know what she is doing, will you nevertheless ask; endure!
§642Perfer! erit lucro lingua retenta tuo.
The tongue held back will be for your gain.
§643Tu quoque, qui causam finiti reddis amoris, §644Deque tua domina multa querenda refers, §645Parce queri; melius sic ulciscere tacendo, §646Ut desideriis effluat illa tuis.
You too, who give the reason of your ended love, and relate many things to be complained of concerning your mistress, spare to complain; you will avenge yourself better thus by keeping silent, so that she may slip away from your longings.
And I would prefer that you keep silent than that you speak of having ceased to love: he who says 'I do not love' to too many, loves.
But with better faith is the fire extinguished gradually than suddenly; cease slowly, and you will be safe.
A torrent is accustomed to run deeper than a continuous river: but yet this is a brief water, that a perennial one.
Let love deceive, and vanish away into thin air, and die out by gentle degrees.
But to hate a girl just now beloved is a crime: that end suits wild natures.
To not care is enough: he who ends love with hatred either still loves, or will with difficulty cease to be wretched.
It is shameful for a man and a woman, just joined, to be immediately enemies; the Appian goddess herself does not approve of those quarrels.
Often they bring charges, and yet they love; where no enmity happens, love wanders away free, by reminders being absent.
§663Forte aderam iuveni; dominam lectica tenebat:
By chance I was present with a young man; a litter was holding his mistress: