Amores 1.9 by Ovid

Militat omnis amans, et habet sua castra Cupido; Attice, crede mihi, militat omnis amans. quae bello est habilis, Veneri quoque convenit aetas. turpe senex miles, turpe senilis amor.	Every lover serves as a soldier, and Cupid has his camp; Atticus, believe me, every lover is a soldier. That which is suitable for war, that is also suited for Venus. The old soldier is shameful, the aged lover is shameful.
quos petiere duces animos in milite forti, 5 hos petit in socio bella puella viro. pervigilant ambo; terra requiescit uterque— ille fores dominae servat, at ille ducis.	The spirits which generals demand in a brave soldier, the same a pretty girl seeks in a male companion. They keep watch together; both rest on the ground--the one serves at the gate of his mistress, the other at that of his general.
militis officium longa est via; mitte puellam, strenuus exempto fine sequetur amans. 10 ibit in adversos montes duplicataque nimbo flumina, congestas exteret ille nives,	Long roads are the duty of a soldier; send the girl, the vigorous lover will follow her to the very end. He will journey in adverse mountains and a river doubled by the storm, he will step forth in thickened snow,
nec freta pressurus tumidos causabitur Euros aptaque verrendis sidera quaeret aquis. quis nisi vel miles vel amans et frigora noctis 15 et denso mixtas perferet imbre nives?	and, about to press on the swellon seas, he will not make an excuse of Euros and seek stars suitable for sweeping clean the waters. Who excepte either a soldier or a lover endures the frigidity of night and snow mixed with pouring sleet?
mittitur infestos alter speculator in hostes; in rivale oculos alter, ut hoste, tenet. ille graves urbes, hic durae limen amicae obsidet; hic portas frangit, at ille fores. 20	One is sent into enemy houses as a spy; the other holds his eyes on his rival, as an enemy. That man occupies weighty cities, this one the threshhold of a cruel girlfriend; this man breaks down gates, but that man, doors.
Saepe soporatos invadere profuit hostes caedere et armata vulgus inerme manu. sic fera Threicii ceciderunt agmina Rhesi, et dominum capti deseruistis equi.	Often it is profitable to invade a sleeping enemy and to slaughter an unarmed crowd with an armed hand. Thus the savage armies of Threician Rhesa fell, and you, captured horses, deserted the master.
nempe maritorum somnis utuntur amantes, 25 et sua sopitis hostibus arma movent. custodum transire manus vigilumque catervas militis et miseri semper amantis opus.	Certainly lovers use the sleep of husbands, and move their arms with the enemies sleeping. It is always the work of a soldier and a poor lover to bands of gaurds and swarms of watchmen.
Mars dubius nec certa Venus; victique resurgunt, quosque neges umquam posse iacere, cadunt. 30 Ergo desidiam quicumque vocabat amorem, desinat. ingenii est experientis amor.	Mars is doubtful and Venus is not certain; and the conquered rise again, and those whom you might deny were ever able to lie down, they fall. Therefore whoever was calling love idleness, let him stop. Love is of an experimental nature.
ardet in abducta Briseide magnus Achilles— dum licet, Argeas frangite, Troes, opes! Hector ab Andromaches conplexibus ibat ad arma, 35 et, galeam capiti quae daret, uxor erat.	Great Achilles burns over the abducted Briseas - while it is permitted, Trojans, break the Argean strength! Hector was leaving to arms from the arms of Andromache, and, she who gave the helmet for his head, was his wife.
summa ducum, Atrides, visa Priameide fertur Maenadis effusis obstipuisse comis. Mars quoque deprensus fabrilia vincula sensit; notior in caelo fabula nulla fuit. 40	The best of generals, Atridea, with Priam's having been seen, is said to have been amazed by her flowing Maedadian locks. And Mars, having been caught, felt the chains of a metal-worker; no story was more well known in heaven.
ipse ego segnis eram discinctaque in otia natus; mollierant animos lectus et umbra meos. inpulit ignavum formosae cura puellae iussit et in castris aera merere suis.	I myself was sluggish and born into easygoing leisure; and my shady bed softened my spirits. Care for a pretty girl impelled sluggish me and ordered me to serve for a penny in her camps.
inde vides agilem nocturnaque bella gerentem. 45 qui nolet fieri desidiosus, amet!	From that time, you will see me nimble and waging war at night. He who does not wish to become idle, let him love!