Amores

Ovid

Ovid. Ovid's Art of Love (in three Books), the Remedy of Love, the Art of Beauty, the Court of Love, the History of Love, and Amours. Dryden, John, et al., translator. New York: Calvin Blanchard, 1855.

  1. 'Twas noon when I, scorch'd with the double fire
  2. Of the hot sun and my more hot desire,
  3. Stretch'd on my downy couch at ease was laid,
  4. Big with expectance of the lovely maid.
  5. The curtains but half drawn, a light let in
  6. Such as in shades of thickest groves is seen,
  7. Such as remains when the sun flies away,
  8. Or when night's gone, and yet it is not day.
  9. This light to modest maids must be allow'd,
  10. Where shame may hope its guilty head to shroud.
  11. And now my love Corinna did appear,
  12. Loose on her neck fell her divided hair;
  13. Loose as her flowing gown, that wanton'd in the air.
  14. In such a garb, with such a grace and mien,
  15. To her rich bed came the Assyrian queen;
  16. So Lais looked when all the youth of Greece
  17. With adoration did her charms confess.
  18. Her envious gown to pull away I tried,
  19. But she resisted still, and still denied;
  20. But so resisted that she seem'd to be