Sunday, November 27, 2011

Amores 1.3 by Ovid

Iusta precor: quae me nuper praedata puella est,
aut amet aut faciat, cur ego semper amem!
a, nimium volui—tantum patiatur amari;
audierit nostras tot Cytherea preces!
I pray for Justice: the girl who has lately conquered me,
either let her love me or say why I will always love her!
But, I wish for too much -- only let her suffer herself to
be loved; Venus will have heard my many prayers!
Accipe, per longos tibi qui deserviat annos; 5
accipe, qui pura norit amare fide!
si me non veterum commendant magna parentum
nomina, si nostri sanguinis auctor eques,
Accept this man, who will be a slave to you through the
long years; accept this man, who knows to love with
a pure faithfulness! If great names do not recommend
me to your parent, if the author of my blood was an
equestrian,
nec meus innumeris renovatur campus aratris,
temperat et sumptus parcus uterque parens— 10
at Phoebus comitesque novem vitisque repertor
hac faciunt, et me qui tibi donat, Amor,
My field is not renewed with numerous ploughs,
and both parents are temperate and consume little--
but Pheobus and his comrades and the inventor of wine
made me new, and Love, who gave me to you,
et nulli cessura fides, sine crimine mores
nudaque simplicitas purpureusque pudor.
non mihi mille placent, non sum desultor amoris: 15
tu mihi, siqua fides, cura perennis eris.
and faithfulness pausing for none, a character without stain
and bare simplicity and blushing modesty.
A thousand girls are not pleasing, I am not
quick-change rider of love: you, for me, if you trust this,
will be my for forever.
tecum, quos dederint annos mihi fila sororum,
vivere contingat teque dolente mori!
te mihi materiem felicem in carmina praebe—
provenient causa carmina digna sua. 20
Through which years the thread of the sisters will have
given, may it happen that I live with you and to die with
you crying! Supply happy material for me in my poem--
the songs will prosper as worthy of their inspiration.
carmine nomen habent exterrita cornibus Io
et quam fluminea lusit adulter ave,
quaeque super pontum simulato vecta iuvenco
virginea tenuit cornua vara manu.
In song Io, terrified by her horns has a name, and the swan
which the adulterer frolicked with by the stream,
and she who above the sea was carried by a
faux-bull, the virgin held the bendy horn with her hand.

nos quoque per totum pariter cantabimur orbem, 25
iunctaque semper erunt nomina nostra tuis.
We will be sung of together through the whole world,
and always my name with be joined with yours.

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