Ouids Elegies Three Bookes By C. M. Epigrames by I. D. At Mid 〈…〉 gh P. Ouidij Nasonis amorum Liber primus ELEGIA 1 Quemadmodum à Cupidine pro bellis amores scribere coactus sit VVE which were Ouids fiue books now are three For these before the rest preferreth he If reading fiue thou plain'st of tediousnesse Two tane away thy labour will be lesse With Muse prepar'd I meant to sing of Armes Choosing a subiect fit for fierce alarmes Both verses were a like till lour men say Began to smile and tooke one foote away Rash boy who gaue thee power to change a line We are the Muses Prophets none of thine What if thy mother take Diâ—nas bow Shall Dian fanne when lone begins to glow In wooddy groues is 't meere that Ceres raigne And quiuer-bearing Dian till the plaine who 'le set the faire trest sunne in battell ray While Mars doth take the Aonian Harp to play Great are thy kingdomes ouer strong and large Ambitious impe why â—eek'st thou further charge Are all things thine the Muses Temple thine Then scarse can Phoebus say this Harp is mine When in this workes first verse I trode aloft Loueâ—slackt my Muse and made my numbers soft I haue no mistresse nor no 〈…〉 Being fittest matter for 〈…〉 Thus I complain'd but loue vnlockt his quiuer Tooke out the shaft ordain'de my heart to shiuer And bent his sinewie bow vpon his knee Saying Poet heere 's a worke beseeming thee Oh woe is me he neuer shootes but hits I burne loue in my idle bosome sits Let my first verse be sixe my last fiue feete Fare-well sterne warre for blunter Poets meete Elegian Muse that warblest amorous laies Girt my shine brow with Sea-banke Mirtle praise ELEGIA 2. Quod prime amore correptus in triumphum ducâ— so a cupidine patiatur VVHat makes my bed seeme hard seeing it is soft Or why slips downe the couerlet so oft Although the nights be long I sleepe not tho My sides are sore with tumbling to and fro Were loue the cause it 's like I should descry him Or lyes he close and shootes where none can spie him 'T was so he stroke me with a slender darr T is cruell loue turmoyles my captiue heart Yeelding or strugling do we giue him might Let 's yeeld a burthen easly borne is light I saw a brandisht fire increase in strength Which being not slackt I saw it dye at length Young Oxen newly yoakt are beaten more Then Oxen which haue drawne the plough before And rough Iades mouthes with stuborne bits are torne But managde horses heads are lightly borne Vnwilling louers loue doth more torment Then such as in their bondage feele content Loe I confesse I am thy captiue I And hold my conquer'd hands for thee to tie What need'st thou warre I sue to thee for grace With armes to conquer armelesse men is base Yoake Venus Doues put Mirtle on thy haire Vulcan will giue thee chariots rich and faire The people thee applauding thou shalt stand Guiding the harmelesse Pigeons with thy hand Yong men and women shalt thou lead as thrall So will thy triumph seeme magnificall I lately caught will haue a new made wound And captiue like be manacled and bound Good meaning shame and such as seeke loues wraâ—â— Shall follow thee their hands tyed at their back Thee all shall feare and worship as a King Io â—riumphing shall thy people sing Smooth speaches feare and rage shall by thee ride Which troupes haue alwayes bene on Cupids side Thou with these soul â—iours conquerest Gods and menâ— Take these away where is thine honour then Thy mother shall from heauen applaude this show And on their faces heapes of Roses strow With beautie of thy wings thy faire haire guilded Ride golden loue in chariots richly builded Vnlesse I erre full many shalt thou burne And giue wounds infinite at euery turne In spite of thee forth will thine arrowes flye A scortching flame burnes all the standers by So hauing coquer'd Iude was Bacchus hew The pompous Birds and him two Tygers drew Then seeing I grace thy show in following thee Forbeare to hurt thy selfe in spoyling me Behold thy kins-mans Caesars prosperous bands Who guards thee conquered with his conquering hands ELEGIA 3. Ad amicam I Aske but right let he that caught me late Either loue or cause that I may neuer hate I aske too much would she but let me loue her Ioue knowes with such like prayers I daily moue her Accept him that will serue thee all his youth Accept him that will loue with spotelesse truth If loftie titles cannot make me thine That am descended but of Knightly line Soone may you plow the little land I haue I gladly grant my parents giuen to saue Apollo Bacchus and the Muses may And Cupid who hath markt me for thy pray My spotelesse life which but to Gods giue place Naked simplicity and modest grace I loue but one and her I loue change neuer If men haue faith I 'le liue with thee for euer The yeares that fatall destinie shall giue I 'le liue with thee and dye ere thou shalt grieue Be thou the happy subiect of my bookes That I may write things worthy thy faire lookes By verses horned Io got her name And she to whom in shape of Swanne Ioue came And she that on a fain'd Bull swamme to land Griping his false hornes with her virgin hand So likewise we will through the world be rung And with my name shall thine be alwayes sung ELEGIA 4. Amicam qua arte quibusue nutibus in caena presente viro vti debeat admonet THy husband to a banquet goes with me Pray God it may his latest supper be Shall I sit gazing as a bashfull guest While others touch the damseâ—l I loue best With lying vnder him his bosome clippe About thy neck shall he at pleasure skippe Marueile not though the faire Bride did incite The drunken Centaures to a sodaine fight I am no halfe horse nor in woods I dwell Yet scarse my hands from thee containe I well But how thou should'st behaue thy selfe now know Nor let the windes away my warnings blow Before thy husband come though I not see What may be done â—et there before hiâ— be Lye with him gently when his limbes he spread Vpon the bed but on my feete first tread View me my becks and speaking countenance Take and receiue each secret amorous glaunce Words without voyce shall on my eye-browes sit Lines thou shalt read in wyne by my hand writ When our lasciuious toyes come to thy minde Thy Rosie cheekes be to thy thombe incâ—â—nâ—e If ought of me thou speak'st in inward thought Let thy soft finger to thy eare be brought When I my light do or say ought that please thee Turne round thy gold-ring as it were to ease thee Strike on the boord like them that pray for euill When thou doest wish thy husband at the deuâ—l What wine he fills thee wisely will
fire And thinke her chast whom many doe desire Stolne liberty she may be thee obtaine Which giuing her she may giue thee againe Wilt thou her fault learne she may make thee tremble Feare to be guilty then thou maiest dissemble Thinke when she reades her mother letters sent her Let him goe forth knowne that vnknowne did enter Let him goe see her though she doe not languish And then report her sicke and full of anguish If long she stayes to thinke the time more short Lay downe thy forehead in thy lap to sâ—ort Enquire not what with Isis may be done Nor feare least she to th' theater's râ—â—â—e Knowing her scapes thine honour shall encrease And what lesse labour then to hold thy peace Let him please haunt thy house be kindly vs'd Enioy the wench let all else be refus'd Vaine canses faine of him the true to hide And what she likes let both hold ratifide When most her husband bends the browes and frownes His â—awning wench with her desire he crownes But yet sometimes to chide thee let her fall Counterfet teares and thee lewd hangman call Obiect thou then what she may well excuse To staine all faith in truth by false crimes vse Of wealth and honour so shall grow thy heape Do this and soone thou shalt thy freedome reape On tell-tales neckes thou seest the linke-knâ—t chaines The filthy prison â—aithlesse breasts restraynes Water in waters and fruit-flying touch Tantalâ—s feekes his long tongues gathe is such While Iunoes watch-man Iâ— too much â—yde Him timelesse death tooke she was deiside I saw ones legges with fetters black and blew By whom the husband his wiues incest knew More he deseru'd to both great harme he fram'd The man did grieue the woman was defam'd Trust me all husbands for such faults are sad Nor make they any man that heare them glad If he loues not deafe eares thou doest importune Or if he loues thy tale breedes his misfortune Nor is it easily prou'd though manifest She safe by fauour of her iudge doth rest Though himselfe see hee le credit her denyall Condemne his eyes and say there is no tryall Spying his mistresse teares he will lament And say this blabbe shall suffer punishment Why fighst gainst odds to thee being cast do happe Sharp stripes she sitteth in the iudges lappe To meete for poyson or vilde facts we craue not My hands an vnsheath'd shining weapon haue not We seeke that through thee safely loue we may What can be easier then the thing we pray ELEGIA 3. Ad Eunuchum seruantem dominam AYe me an Eunuch keepes my mistresse chaste That cannot Venus mutuall pleasure taste Who first depriu'd young boyes of their best part With selfe same wounds he gaue he ought to smart To kinde requests thou wouldst more gentle proue If euer wench had made luke-warme thy loue Thou wert not bâ—â—ne to ride or armes to beare Thy hands agree not with the warlike speare Men handle those all manly hopes refâ—gâ—ue Thy mistrisse enseignes must be likewise thine Please her her hate makes others thee abhorre If she discardes thee what vse seru'st thou for Good forme there is yeares apt to play togither Vnmeet is beauty without vse to wither Shee may deceiâ—e thee though thou her protect What two determine neuer wants effect Our prayers moue thee to assist our drift While thou hast time yet to bestow that gift ELEGIA 4. Quod ametâ— muliâ—res cuiuscunque formae sint I Meane not to defend the scapes of any Or iustifie my vices being many For I confesse if that might merite fauout Heere I display my lewd and loose behauiour I loathe yet after that I loathe I runne Oh how the burthen irkes that we should shunne I cannot rule my selfe but where loue please Am driuen like a ship vpon rough seas No one face likes me best all faces moue A hundred reasons make me euer loue If any eye me with a modest looke I blush and by that blushfull glance am tooke And she that 's coy I like for being no clowne Me thinkes she would be nimble when shee 's down Though her sowre lookes a Sabines brow resemble I thinke shee le do but deepely can dissemble If she be learn'd then for her skill I craue her If not because shee s simple I would haue her Before Callimachus one preferrs me farre Seeing she likes my bookes why should we iarre Another railes at me and that I write Yet would I lie with her if that I might Trips she it likes me well plods she what than She will be nimbler lying with a man And when one sweetly sings then strait I long To quauer on her lips euen in her song Or if one touch the Lute with art and cunning Who would not loue those hands for their swift running And her I like that with a maiesty Folds vp her armes and makes low curtesy To leaue my selfe that am in tocue with all Some one of these might make the chastest fall If she be tall shee s like an Amazan And therefore fills the bed she lyes vpon If short she lyes the rounder to say troth Both short and long please me for I loue both I thinke what one vndeckt would be being drest Is she attired then shew her graces best A white wench thralls me so doth golden yellow And nut-browne girles in doing haue no fellowe If her white necke be shadowed with browne haire Why so was Laedas yet was Laeda faire Amber trest is she then on the morne thinke I My loue alludes to euery history A young wench pleaseth and an old is good This for her â—ookes and that for her woman-hood Nay what is she that any Roman loues But my ambitious ranging minde approues ELEGIA 5. Ad amicam corruptam NO loue is so deere quiuer'd Cupid flie That my chiefe with should be so oft to die Minding my fault with death I wish to reuill Alas a wench is a perpetuall euill No intercepted lines thy deedes display No giftes giuen secretly thy crime bewray O would my proofes as vaine might be withstood Aye me poore soule why is my cause so good He 's happy that his loue dares boldly credit To whom his wench can say I neuer did it He 's cruell and too much his griefe doth fauour That seekes the conquest by her loose behauiour Poore wench I sawe when thou didst thinke I slumbred Not drunke your faults on the spilt wine I numbred I saw your nodding eye-browes much to speake Euen from your cheekes part of a voyce did breake Not silent were thine eyes the boord with wine Was scribled and thy fingers writ a line I knew your speech what doe not louers see And words that seem'd for certaine markes to be Now many guests were gone the feast being done The youthfull sort to diuers pastimes runne I saw you then vnlawfull kisses ioyne Such with my tounge it likes me to purloyne None such the sister giues her brother graue But such kinde wenches let
else will maidens yong-menns mates to go If they determine to perseuere so Then on the rough Alpes should I tread aloft My hard way with my mistresse would seeme soft With her I durst the Lybian Sirtes break through And raging Seas in boistrous South-winds plough No barking Dogs that Syllaes intrailes beare Not thy gulfes crooked Malea would I feare No flowing waues with drowned ships forth powred By cloyed Chartbdis and againe deuoured But if sterne Neptunes windie powre preuaile And waters force force helping Gods to faile With thy white armes vpon my shoulders feaze So sweet a burthen I will beare with eaze The youth oft swimming to his Hero kinde Had then swum ouer but the way was blinde But without thee although vine-planted ground Conteines me though the streames in fields surround Though Hindes in brookes the running waters bring And coole gales shake the tall trees leauy spring Healthfull Peligny I esteeme nought worth Nor doe I like the countrie of my birth Sythia Cilicia Brittaine are as good And rockes dyed crimson with Prometheus blood Elmes loue the Vines the Vines with Elmes abide Why doth my mistresse from me oft deuide Thou swearest deuision should not twixt vs â—ise By me and by my starres thy raâ—iant eyes Maides words more vaine and light then falling leaues Which as it seemes hence winde and sea bereaues If any godly care of me thou hast Adde deeds vnto thy promises at last And with swift Naggs drawing thy little Coach Their reines let loose right soone my house approach But when she comes your swelling mounts sinck down And falling vallies be the smooth-wayes crowne ELEGIA 17. Quod Corinnae soli sit seruturus TO serue a wench if any thinke it shame He being iudge I am conuinc'd of blame Let me be slandered while my fire she hides That Paphos and the floud-beate Cithera guides Would I had beene my mistresse gentle prey Since some faire one I should of force obey Beauty giues heart Corinnas lookes excell Aye me why is it knowne to her so well But by her glasse disdainefull pride she learnes Nor she her selfe but first trim'd vp discernes Not though thy face in all things make thee raigne O Face most cunning mine eyes to de tayne Thou ought'st therefore to scorne me for thy mate Small things with greater may be copulate Loue-snarde Calypso is supposde to pray A mortall nimphes refusing Lord to stay Who doubts with Pelius Thetis did consort Egeria with iust Numa had good sport Venus with Vulcan though smiths tooles laide by With his stumpe-foote he halts ill-fauouredly This kinde of verse is not alike yet fit With shorter numbers the heroick sit And thou my light accept me how so euer Lay in the mid bed there be my law giuer My stay no crime my flight no ioy shall breed Nor of our loue to be asham'd we need For great reuenews I good verses haue And many by me to get glory craue I know a wench reports her selfe Corinue What would not she giue that faire name to winne But sundry flouds in one banke neuer go Eurotas cold and poplar-bearing Po. Nor in my bookes shall one but thou be writ Thou doest alone giue matter to my wit ELEGIA 18. Ad Macrum quod de amoribus scribat TO tragick verse while thou Achilles train'st And new sworne souldiours maiden armes retain'st We Macer sit in Venus slothfull shade And tender loue hath great things hatefull made Often at length my wench depart I bid Shee in my lap sits still as earst she did I said it takes me halfe to weeping framed Aye me she cries to loue why art aâ—â—â—â—ed Then wrethes about my neck her winding armes And thousand kisses giues that worke my harmes I-yeeld and back my wit from battels bring Domestick acts and mine owne warres to sing Yet tragedies and scepters fild my lines But though I apt were for such high deseignes Loue laughed at my cloak and buskines painted And rule so soone with priuate hands acquainted My mistresse deity also drew me from it And loue triumpheth o're his busking Poet. What lawfull is or we professe loues art Alas my precepts turne my selfe to smart We write or what Penelope sends Vlysses Or Phillis teares that her Demophoon misses What thanklesse Iason Macareus and Paris Phedra and Hipolite may read my care is And what poore Dide with her drawne sword sharp Doth say with her that lou'd the Aonian haâ—p As soone as from strange landes Sabinus came And writings did from diuerse places frame White-cheekt Penelope knew Vlysses signe The step-dame read Hyppolitus lustlesse line Aeneas to Elisa aunswer giues And Phillis hath to reade if now she liues Iasons sad letter doth Hipsipile greete Sappho her vowed harp laies at Phoebus feete Nor of thee Macer that resound'st forth armes Is golden loue hid in Mars mid alarmes There Paris is and Helens crymes record With Laedemeia mate to her dead Lord. Vnlesse I erre to these thou more incline Then warres and from thy tents wilt come to mine ELEGIA 19. Adriualem cui vxor curae non erat FOole if to keepe thy wife thou hast no neede Keepe her from me my more desire to breede We skorne things lawfull stolne sweetes we affect Cruell is he that loues whom none protect Let vs both louers hope and feare a like And may repulse place for our wishes strike What should I do with fortune that n'ere failes me Nothing I loue that at all times auailes me Wily Corinna saw this blemish in me And craftily knowes by what meanes to winne me Ah often that her haole head aked she lying Wild me whose slow feete sought delay by flying Ah oft how much she might she feign'd offence And doing wrong made shew of innocence So hauing vext she nourisht my warme fire And was againe most apt to my desire To please me what faire tearmes and sweete words ha' â— she Great Gods what kisses and how many gaue she Thou also that late tookest mine eyes away Oft couzen me oft being wooed say nay And on thy thre-shold let me lie dispred Suffring much cold by hoary nights frost bred So shall my loue continue many yeares This doth delight me this my courage cheares Fat loue and too much fulsome me annoyes Euen as sweet meate a glutted stomack cloyes In brazen tower had not Danae dwelt A mothers ioy by Ioue she had not felt While Iuno Io keepes when hornes she wore Ioue liked her better then he did before Who couets lawfull things takes leaues from woods And drinkes stolne waters in surrowâ—ding floodes Her louer let her mock that long will raigne Aye me let not my warnings cause my paine What euer haps by suffrance harme is done What flies I follow what followes me I shunne But thou of thy faire damsell too secure Begin to shut thy house at euening sure Search at the dore who knocks ost in the darke In nights deep silence why the ban-dogges barke Whether the subtile maide â—â—â—es