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. His wealth he owes, his fortunes with the fair.
  2. No doubt, he makes a merit of his guilt,
  3. And brags what blood he has in battle spilt.
  4. Fine courtship this, to win a gentle dame;
  5. Thou shar'st his money, and must share his shame.
  6. Me, not the meanest of Apollo's train,
  7. She hates, and I repeat my verse in vain;
  8. I sing before her gate; her gate I find
  9. Is less obdurate than her harden'd mind.
  10. Forbear your songs, Apollo's sons, forbear,
  11. And bend your future thoughts to arms and war.
  12. Instead of inspirations, get commands;
  13. To murder, and to rapine use your hands,
  14. And you with ease reduce the female bands.
  15. Had Homer in the Grecian army serv'd,
  16. We ne'er had heard that he had begg'd, or starv'd.
  17. Of gold the thund'rer show'd the mighty pow'r,
  18. Descending softly thro' the brazen tow'r,
  19. And clasping Danae in a golden show'r.
  20. A thousand bars the virgin fair did hold,