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 XIX.1
Ad rivalem cut nxor curæ non erat.

• Fool, if to keep thy wife thou hast no need,
• Keep her from me, my more desire to breed;
• We scorn things lawful; stolen sweets we affect
• Cruel is he that loves whom none protect.
• Let us, both lovers, hope and fear alike,
• And may repulse place for our wishes strike.2
• What should I do with fortune that ne'er fails me?
• Nothing I love that at all times avails me.
• Wily Corinna saw this blemish in me,
• And craftily knows by what means to win me.

  10

• Ah, often, that her hale3 head ached, she lying,
• Willed me, whose slow feet sought delay, be flying
• Ah, oft, how much she might, she feigned offence;
• And, doing wrong, made show of innocence.
• So, having vexed, she nourished my warm fire,
• And was again most apt to my desire.
• To please me, what fair terms and sweet words has she
• Great gods! what kisses, and how many ga'4 she!
• Thou also that late took'st mine eyes away,
• Oft cozen5 me, oft, being wooed, say nay,

  20

• And on thy threshold let me lie dispread,
• Suff'ring much cold by hoary night's frost bred.
• So shall my love continue many years;
• This doth delight me, this my courage cheers.
• Fat love, and too much fulsome, me annoys,
• Even as sweet meat a glutted stomach cloys
• In brazen tower had not Danäe dwelt,
• A mother's joy by Jove she had not felt.
• While Juno 10 keeps, when horns she wore,
• Jove liked her better than he did before.

  30

• Who covets lawful things takes leaves from woods.
• And drinks stolen waters in surrounding floods.
• Her lover let her mock that long will reign.
• Ay me, let not my warnings cause my pain!
• Whatever haps, by sufferance harm is done,
• What flies I follow, what follows me I shun.
• But thou, of thy fair damsel too secure,
• Begin to shut thy house at evening sure.
• Search at the door who knocks oft in the dark,
• In night's deep silence why the ban-dogs1 bark.

  40

• Whither2 the subtle maid lines3 brings and carries,
• Why she alone in empty bed oft tarries.
• Let this care sometimes bite thee to the quick.
• That to deceits it may me forward prick.
• To steal sands from the shore he loves a-life4
• That can affect5 a foolish wittol's wife.
• Now I forewarn, unless to keep her stronger
• Thou dost begin, she shall be mine no longer.
• Long have I borne much, hoping time would beat thee
• To guard her well, that well I might entreat thee.1

  50

• Thou suffer'st what no husband can endure,
• But of my love it will an end procure.
• Shall I, poor soul, be never interdicted?
• Nor never with night's sharp revenge afflicted.
• In sleeping shall I fearless draw my breath?
• Wilt nothing do, why I should wish thy death?
• Can I but loathe a husband grown a bawd?
• By thy default thou dost our joys defraud.
• Some other seek that may in patience strive with thee,
• To pleasure me, forbid me to corrive with thee.2

  60

P. OVIDII MASONIS AMORUM.
liber tertius.

[1]Not in Isham copy or ed. A.

[2]“Et faciat voto rara repulsa locum.”

[3]Old eds. “haole.”—The construction is not plain without a reference to the original:—

• “Ah, quotiens sani capitis mentita dolores,
• Cunctantem tardo jussit abire pede.”

[4]So Dyce for “gave” of the old eds.

[5]The reading of the original is “Saepe time insidias.”

[1]Dogs tied up on account of their fierceness

[2]Old eds. “Whether” (a common form of “whither”)

[3]“Tabellas.”

[4]As dearly as life.

[5]Old eds. “effect.”

[1]“Multa druque tuli; speravi saepe futurum Cum bene servasses ut bene verba darem.”

[2]“Me tibi rivalem si juvat esse, veta.”