Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Tibullus 3.19

Nulla tuum nobis subducet femina lectum:
    hoc primum iuncta est foedere nostra uenus.
Tu mihi sola places, nec iam te praeter in urbe
    formosa est oculis ulla puella meis.
Atque utinam posses uni mihi bella uideri!               5
    Displiceas aliis: sic ego tutus ero.
Nil opus inuidia est, procul absit gloria uulgi:
    qui sapit, in tacito gaudeat ille sinu.
Sic ego secretis possum bene uiuere siluis,
    qua nulla humano sit uia trita pede.               10
Tu mihi curarum requies, tu nocte uel atra
    lumen, et in solis tu mihi turba locis.
Nunc licet e caelo mittatur amica Tibullo,
    mittetur frustra deficietque Venus;
hoc tibi sancta tuae Iunonis numina iuro,               15
    quae sola ante alios est mihi magna deos.
Quid facio demens? Heu! heu! mea pignora cedo;
    iuraui stulte: proderat iste timor.
Nunc tu fortis eris, nunc tu me audacius ures:
    hoc peperit misero garrula lingua malum.               20
Iam faciam quodcumque uoles, tuus usque manebo,
    nec fugiam notae seruitium dominae,
sed Veneris sanctae considam uinctus ad aras:
    haec notat iniustos supplicibusque fauet.


No woman will steal your love from me:
This first my love was joined with a bond.
You are pleasing for me alone, now beside you in the city
no woman is beautiful in my eyes.
And how you are able to seem beautiful to me alone!
You are displeasing to other: thus I will be safe.
There is no need of envy, the glory of the rabble is absent far away:
He who understands, in a silent space let that man rejoice.
Thus I am able to live well in my secret forest,
that no well-trodden path may be for a human foot.
You for me are a respite from cares, you at night are actually a black light,
and in the alone places you are for the crowd.
Now it is permitted from the heavens that a girlfriend is sent to Tibullus,
she is sent in vain and Love will fail;
this for you I swear on the sacred gods of your Juno,
who alone before other gods is the greatest of yours.
What do I make demented? Hey! Hey! I concede  my assurances;
I swore stupidly: that fear had been useful.
Now you will be mighty, now you, brave, will burn for me:
this a talkative tongue bore evil with sadness.
Now I will do whatever you wish, I will remain yours all the way,
I will not flee the servitude of a noted mistress,
but conquered I will sit down at the sacred altars of Venus:
this brands offenders and favors supplicants.

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