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. Let the mechanics to Minerva vow,
  2. Rustics to Ceres, and to Bacchus bow;
  3. Whilst I devote myself to thee alone,
  4. Kind Venus, and the pow'rful god thy son;
  5. 0 be propitious to my enterprize,
  6. Inform with all thy softness these fair eyes,
  7. And to love's cause her gentle breast incline;
  8. She grants, and has contriv'd it with a sign;
  9. Do you assure it too, you who're to me
  10. (With Venus' leave) the mightier deity,
  11. By all these heavenly witnesses' to you
  12. Will I be ever faithful, ever true.
  13. Now ib the open cirque the game's begun,
  14. The praetor gives the signal, now they run;
  15. I see which way your wishes are inclin'd,
  16. To him a certain conquest is design'd;
  17. For e'en the horses seem to know your mind.
  18. He takes too large a compass to come in,
  19. And lets his adversary get between;
  20. Recall him, Romans, for a second heat,