1.11 Flashcards
colligere incertos et in ordine ponere crines /
docta neque ancillas inter habenda Nape
You who are skilled in gathering wayward hairs and putting them in order and who are not to be held among ordinary slave-girls, Nape,
inque ministeriis furtivae cognita noctis /
utilis et dandis ingeniosa notis,
You who have been found to be useful in the services of the stealthy night and clever at giving signals,
saepe venire ad me dubitantem hortata Corinnam, /
saepe laboranti fida reperta mihi,
You who have often encouraged Corinna when she was hesitating to come to me and have often been found loyal to be when I was in trouble,
accipe et ad dominam peraratas mane tabellas /
perfer et obstantes sedula pelle moras.
Take these tablets written this morning and deliver them to your mistress, and attentively banish any delays that stand in your way.
nec silicum venae nec durum in pectore ferrum /
nec tibi simplicitas ordine maior adest;
You have no veins of flint or hard iron in your heart, nor do you have greater naivete than befits your station;
credibile est te sensisse Cupidinis arcus: /
in me militiae signa tuere tuae.
It is believable that you too have felt Cupid’s bow: protect the standards of your own military service by helping me.
si quaeret quid agam, spe noctis vivere dices; /
cetera fert blanda cera notata manu.
If she asks how I am, you shall say that I live by the hope of a night (with her); the wax-tablet inscribed by my affectionate hand tells the rest.
dum loquor, hora fugit: vacuae bene redde tabellas, /
verum continuo fac tamen illa legat.
While I speak, time flies: hand over the tablets to her when she is completely free from distractions, but however be sure that she reads them immediately.
aspicias oculos mando frontemque legentis: /
et tacito vultu scire futura licet.
I order you to observe her eyes and her brow while she is reading; even from a silent expression you can know what the result will be.
nec mora, perlectis rescribat multa iubeto: /
odi, cum late splendida cera vacat.
Let there be no delay, when she has read the tablets thoroughly, order her to write back many words: I hate it when the gleaming wax is largely blank.
comprimat ordinibus versus, oculosque moretur /
margine in extremo littera rasa meos.
Let her compress the lines of writing close together and let letters scratched on the edge of the border delay my eyes.
quid digitos opus est graphio lassare tenendo ? /
hoc habeat scriptum tota tabella ?veni?.
Why does she need to tire her fingers by holding the pen? Let the whole tablet have just this written on it: “come”.
non ego victrices lauro redimire tabellas /
nec Veneris media ponere in aede morer.
May I not hesitate to wreathe the victorious tablets with laurel, or to place them in the middle of Venus’ temple.
subscribam ?VENERI FIDAS SIBI NASO MINISTRAS /
DEDICAT. AT NUPER VILE FUISTIS ACER.?
I shall write underneath, “To Venus, Naso dedicates the tablets that were faithful to him. But recently you were cheap maple-wood.”
