Ovid 11 Flashcards
on trial; accusations; pleading my case
these are all legal language, that gives us the impression something to do with being in court, so Ovid’ rhetorical legal training will come in handy. This creates a formal tone
Suppose we are at the theatre: one backward glance and your jealous eye will deduce a mistress up in the gods
It becomes clear that he is being accused by his girlfriend of eying up other girls therefore the tone is less formal than the first two lines suggest. ‘up in the gods’ refers to the sexes being segregated at the theatre with women in the highest rows away from the men
Any good looking woman need only quiz me- at once you’re convinced it’s a put up job. If I say a girl’s nice, you try to tear my hair out; If I damn her you think I’m covering up. If my complexion is healthy, that means I’ve gone off you; If pale, then I’m dying of love for someone else. How I wish I’d some genuine infedelity on my conscience- the guilty find punishment easier to take. But by such wild accusations and false assumptions you devalue your rage
Ovid gives details of an imagined or actual interaction between him and his girlfriend. He gives the impression that she is unreasonable and paranoid. He pleads his innocence, suggesting that it would be easier to bear if he was guilty
tear my hair
an ironic revarsal of the usual situation in which the poet is usuallly the one ripping out the hair
pale
the pallor of the lover was a commonplace of love poetry (e.g. propertius poem 20 line 22)
long-eared ass
Ovid again uses an example from nature to support his point
“crime”
the continuation of leagal language from the start of the poem
Cypassis, your lady’s-maid! If I really wanted some fun on the side I ask you, would I pick a lower-class drudge? God forbid- what gentelman would fancy making love to a servant, embracing that lash-scarred back?
Ovid expresses disgust that:
a) she would think such a thing
b) that she would think him so lacking in discernment to be having an affair eith a slave. Impression of Ovid here? he is outraged
would I pick a lower-class drudge? God forbid- what gentelman would fancy making love to a servant, embracing that lash-scarred back? Besides, she is an expert coiffeuse, her skilful styling has made her your favourite. What proposition a maid so devoted to her mistress?
A series of rhetorical questions to highlight the apparent absurdity of Corinna’s accusation
Besides, she is an expert coiffeuse, her skilful styling has made her your favourite. What proposition a maid so devoted to her mistress? Not likely. She’d turn me down- and blab
His next reason for denial is that the maid is so devoted to and valued by his girlfriend so she wouldn’t do it. Then another reason which throws doubt on his protestation of innocence- that she’d not keep the secret
innocence
Ovid returns to his original point with legal language- ring composition
