The Online Library of Liberty

A project of Liberty Fund, Inc.

• Publisher's Notice
• Hero and Leander.
• To the Right-worshipful Sir Thomas Walsingham, Knight
• Hero and Leander.
• The First Sestiad.
• The Second Sestiad.
• The Epistle Dedicatory
• The Third Sestiad.
• The Fourth Sestiad.
• The Fifth Sestiad.
• The Sixth Sestiad.
• Ovid's Elegies.
• P. Ovidii Nasonis 'amorum Liber Primus
• Elegia I. Quemadmodum a Cupidine, Pro Bellis Amores Scribere Coactus Sit.
• Elegia II. Quod Primo Amore Correptus, In Triumphum Duci Se a Cupidine Patiatur.
• Elegia III. Ad Amicam.
• Elegia IV. Amicam, Qua Arte Quibusque Nutibus In Cæna, Presente Viro, Uti Debeat, Admonet.
• Elegia V. Corinnæ Concubitus.
• Elegia VI. Ad Janitorem, Ut Fores Sibi Aperiat.
• Elegia VII. Ad Pacandam Amicam, Quam Verberaverat.
• Elegia VIII. Execratur Lenam Quæ Puellam Suam Meretricis Arte Instituebat.
• Elegia Ix Ad Atticum, Amantem Non Oportere Desidiosum Esse, Sicuti Nec Militem.
• Elegia X Ad Puellam, Ne Pro Amore Præmia Poscat.
• Elegia XI. Napen Alloqutur, Ut Paratas Tabellas Ad Cornnam Perferat.
• Elegia XII. Tabellas Quas Miserat Execratur Quod Amica Noctem Negabat.
• Elegia XIII. Ad Auroram Ne Properet.
• Elegia XIV. Puellam Consolatur Cui Præ Nimia Cura Comæ Deciderant.
• Elegia XV. Ad Invidos, Quod Fama Poetarum Sit Perennis.
• P. Ovidii Nasonis Amorum. Liber Secundus .
• Elegia I. Quod Pro Gigantomachia Amores Scribere Sit Coactus.
• Elegia II. Ad Bagoum, Ut Custodiam Puellæ Sibi Commissæ Laxiorem Habeat
• Elegia III. Ad Eunuchum Servantem Dominam.
• Elegia IV. Quod Amet Mulieres, Cujuscunque Formæ Sint.
• Elegia V. Ad Amicam Corruptam.
• Elegia VI. In Mortem Psittaci.
• Elegia VII. Amicæ Se Purgat, Quod Ancillam Non Amet.
• Elegia VIII. Ad Cypassim Ancillam Corinnæ.
• Elegia IX. Ad Cupidinem.
• Elegia X. Ad Græcinum Quod Eodem Tempore Duas Amet.
• Elegia XI. Ad Amicam Navigantem.
• Elegia XII. Exultat, Quod Amica Potitus Sit.
• Elegia XIII. Ad Isidem, Ut Parientem Corinnam Servet
• Elegia XIV. In Amicam, Quod Abortivum Ipsa Fecerit.
• Elegia XV. Ad Annulum, Quem Dono Amicæ Dedit.
• Elegia XVI. Ad Amicam, Ut Ad Rura Sua Veniat.
• Elegia XVII. Quod Corinnæ Soli Sit Serviturus.
• Elegia XVIII. Ad Macrum, Quod De Amoribus Scribat,
• Elegia XIX. Ad Rivalem Cut Nxor Curæ Non Erat.
• P. Ovidii Masonis Amorum. Liber Tertius .
• Elegia I. Deliberatio Poetæ, Utrum Elegos Pergat Scribere an Potius Tragoedias.
• Elegia II. Ad Amicam Cursum Equorum Spectantem.
• Elegia III. De Amica Quæ Perjuraverat.
• Elegia IV. Ad Virum Servantem Conjugem.
• Elegia VI. Ad Amnem Dum Iter Faceret Ad Amicam.
• Elegia VII. Quod Ab Amica Receptus, Cum Ea Coire Non Potuit Conqueritur.
• Elegia VIII. Quod Ab Amica Non Recipiatur, Dolet.
• Elegia IX. Tibulli Mortem Deflet.
• Elegia X. Ad Cererem, Conquerens Quod Ejus Sacris Cum Amica Concumbere Non Permittatur.
• Elegia XI. Ad Amicam a Cujus Amore Discedere Non Potest.
• Elegia XII. Dolet Amicam Suam Ita Suis Carminibus Innotuisse Ut Rivales Multos Sibi Pararit.
• Elegia XIII. De Junonis Festo.
• Elegia XIV. Ad Amicam, Si Peccatura Est, Ut Occulte Peccet.
• Elegia XV. Ad Venerem, Quod Elegis Finem Imponat.
• Epigrams By J[ohn] D[avies].
• Ad Musam. I.
• Of a Gull. II.
• In Refum. III.
• In Quintum. IV.
• In Plurimos. V.
• In Titum. VI.
• In Faustum. VII.
• In Katam. VIII.
• In Librum. IX.
• In Medontem. X
• In Gellam. XI.
• In Quintum. XII.
• In Severum. XIII.
• In Leucam. XIV.
• In Macrum. XV.
• In Faustum. XVI.
• In Cosmum. XVII.
• In Flaccum. XVIII.
• In Cineam. XIX.
• In Gerontem. XX.
• In Marcum. XXI.
• In Cyprium. XXII.
• In Cineam. XXIII.
• In Gallum. XXIV.
• In Decium. XXV.
• In Gellam. XXVI.
• In Syllam. XXVII.
• In Syllam. XXVIII.
• In Heywodum. XXIX.
• In Dacum. XXX.
• In Priscum. XXXI.
• In Brunum. XXXII.
• In Francum. XXXIII.
• In Castorem. XXXIV.
• In Septimium. XXXV.
• Of Tobacco. XXXVI.
• In Crassum. Xxxvii
• In Philonem. XXXVIII.
• In Fuscum. XXXIX.
• In Afrum. Xl.
• In Paulum. Xli.
• In Lycum. Xlii.
• In Publium. Xliii.
• In Syllam. Xliv.
• In Dacum. Xlv.
• In Marcum. Xlvi.
• Meditations of a Gull. Xlvii.
• Ad Musam. Xlviii.
• Ignoto.
• The First Book of Lucan.
• To His Kind and True Friend, Edward Blunt.
• The First Book of Lucan.
• The Passionate Shepherd to His Love.
• Fragment.
• Dialogue In Verse.
• Appendices.
• No. 1. the Atheist’s Tragedie.
• No. II.
• No. III. a Note
• No. IV.: The Death of Marlowe.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.

Elegia IV.2
Amicam, qua arte quibusque nutibus in cæna, presente viro, uti
debeat, admonet.

• Thy husband to a banquet goes with me;
• Pray God it may his latest supper be!
• Shall I sit gazing as a bashful guest,
• While others touch the damsel I love best?
• Wilt lying under him, his bosom clip?
• About thy neck shall he at pleasure skip?
• Marvel not, though the fair bride did incite
• The drunken Centaurs to a sudden fight.
• I am no half horse, nor in woods I dwell,
• Yet scarce my hands from thee contain I well.

  10

• But how thou should'st behave thyself now know,
• Nor let the winds away my warnings blow.
• Before thy husband come, though I not see
• What may be done, yet there before him be.
• Lie with him gently, when his limbs he spread
• Upon the bed; but on my foot first tread.
• View me, my becks, and speaking countenance;
• Take, and return1 each secret amorous glance.
• Words without voice shall on my eyebrows sit,
• Lines thou shalt read in wine by my hand writ.

  20

• When our lascivious toys come in thy mind,
• Thy rosy cheeks be to thy thumb inclined.
• If aught of me thou speak'st in inward thought,
• Let thy soft finger to thy ear be brought.
• When I, my light, do or say aught that please thee,
• Turn round thy gold ring, as it were to ease thee.
• Strike on the board like them that pray for evil,
• When thou dost wish thy husband at the devil.2
• What wine he fills thee, wisely will3 him drink;
• Ask thou the boy, what thou enough dost think.

  30

• When thou hast tasted, I will take the cup,
• And where thou drink'st, on that part I will sup.
• If he gives thee what first himself did taste,
• Even in his face his offered gobbets4 cast.
• Let not thy neck by his vile arms be prest,
• Nor lean thy soft head on his boisterous breast.
• Thy bosom's roseate buds let him not finger,
• Chiefly on thy lips let not his lips linger;
• If thou givest kisses, I shall all disclose,1
• Say they are mine, and hands on thee impose.

  40

• Yet this I'll see, but if thy gown aught cover,
• Suspicious fear in all my veins will hover.
• Mingle not thighs, nor to his leg join thine,
• Nor thy soft foot with his hard foot combine.
• I have been wanton, therefore am perplexed,
• And with mistrust of the like measure vexed.
• I and my wench oft under clothes did lurk,
• When pleasure moved us to our sweetest work.
• Do not thou so; but throw thy mantle hence,
• Lest I should think thee guilty of offence.

  50

• Entreat thy husband drink, but do not kiss,
• And while he drinks, to add more do not miss;
• If he lies down with wine and sleep opprest,
• The thing and place shall counsel us the rest.
• When to go homewards we rise all along
• Have care to walk in middle of the throng.
• There will I find thee or be found by thee,
• There touch whatever thou canst touch of me.
• Ay me! I warn what profits some few hours!
• But we must part, when heaven with black night
• lours.

  60

• At night thy husband clips2 thee: I will weep
• And to the doors sight of thyself [will] keep:
• Then will he kiss thee, and not only kiss,
• But force thee give him my stolen honey-bliss.
• Constrained against thy will give it the peasant,
• Forbear sweet words, and be your sport unpleasant.
• To him I pray it no delight may bring,
• Or if it do, to thee no joy thence spring.
• But, though this night thy fortune be to try it,
• To me to-morrow constantly deny1 it.

  70

[2]Not in Isham copy or ed A.

[1]So Dyce; old eds. “receive.”

[2]“Optabis merito cum mala multa viro.”

[3]“Bibat ipse jubeto.”

[4]So Dyce for “goblets” of the old eds. (“Rejice libatos plus ore cibos.”)

[1]“Fiam manifestus adulter.”

[2]The original has “Nocte vir includet.”

[1]“Dedisse nega.”