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. If Memnon's fate bewail'd with constant dew,
  2. Does, with the day, his mother's grief renew,
  3. If her son's death mov'd tender Thetis' mind
  4. To swell with tears the waves, with sighs the wind;
  5. Sad Cupid now despairs of conqu'ring hearts,
  6. Throws by his empty quiver, breaks his darts:
  7. Eases his useless bows from idle strings;
  8. Nor flies, but humbly creeps with flagging wings.
  9. He wants, of which he robb'd fond lovers, rest;
  10. And wounds with furious hands his pensive breast.
  11. Those graceful curls which wantonly did flow,
  12. The whiter rivals of the falling snow,
  13. Forget their beauty, and in discord lie,
  14. Drunk with the fountain from his melting eye.
  15. Nor Phoebus, nor the muses' queen, could give
  16. Their son, their own prerogative, to live.
  17. Orpheus, the heir of both his parents' skill,
  18. Tam'd wond'ring beasts, not death's more cruel will.
  19. Linus' sad strings on the dumb lute do lie.
  20. In silence forc'd to let their master die.