Ovid 2 Flashcards
quod tam mihi dura viedentur strata, neque in lecto pallia nostra sedent et vaccus somno noctem, quam longa, peregi, lassaque versati corpois ossa dolent?
that my mattress seems to me so hard and my covers do not stay on the bed and I have passed the whole length of the night without sleep and the weary bones of my tormented body ache
Ovid is describing his disturbed night
esse quid hoc dicam
what am I to say is happening
the order of words here highlights the distress that he feels
dura strata
hard mattress
the physical hardness he feels equates to the hardness or difficulties he faces as he falls in love
neque in lecto pallia nostra sedent
my covers do not stay on the bed
visual of the covers falling off
noctem,quam longa, peregi
I have passed the whole length of the night without sleep
the positioning of peregi - without sleep at the end of the line draws out the sentence to reflect how long the night seems
versati corporis lassa ossa
the weary bones of my tormented body
this gives a visual of Ovid tossing and turning in his sleep the word placement of lassa…ossa and versati…corporis highlights the movement
dolent
ache
Physical pain will be matched with Ovids love
nam, puto, sentirem, si quo tempatrer amore an subit et tecta callidus arte nocet?
For I would know, I suppose, if I were the victim of some attack of love or does it seal up and do its damage cunningly by secret wiles
Ovid does not know for sure whether he is in love or not. In these lines, sinister/negative language for what should be a positive emotion
sentirem
I would know
subjunctive
he is the only one who can relate to this distress
temptarer amore…an subit…callidus…tecta
attacked by love…or does it creep up…cunning…covered
all examples of military vocab
temptarer amore
attacked by love
an subit
or does it creep up
callida
cunning
tecta
hidden
haereserunt
have fixed
tenues…sagittae
invisible arrows
implies pain
linked to hunting implies that Cupid is the hunter and Ovid is the prey
corde
heart
linked to hunting implies that Cupid is the hunter and Ovid is the prey
tenues
invisible
linked to hunting implies that Cupid is the hunter and Ovid is the prey
saggitta
arrow
linked to hunting implies that Cupid is the hunter and Ovid is the prey
ferus
wild
makes love seem cruel and savage
linked to hunting implies that Cupid is the hunter and Ovid is the prey
versat
torments
linked to line 4 about the tossing and turning
linked to hunting implies that Cupid is the hunter and Ovid is the prey
credimus
do we surrender
engaging the reader/audience
luctando
by struggling
subitum
unexpected
accenderer ingnem
feed the flame
fire imagery for love the more you resist the stronger the feelings get
cedanus
let us surrender
Ovid capitulates immediately! Other poets agonise for whole poems and books about being tortured by love. Ovid surrenders in a single word
onus leve fit quod bene fertur
a burden which is readily borne becomes light
This is a proverb. It was a standard exercise for those studying rhetoric to find as many ways as possible of expressing ideas contained in proverbs using different words and also to find as many examples as possible of the idea which the proverbs were expressing. Similar to the epithets in poem 1
vidi…vidi
I have seen…I have seen
repetition emphasises that surrendering has worked many times before from what Ovid has seen first hand
iactatas mota face crescrere flammas
flames blaze up when fanned by the movements of a torch
the torches fanned shows an increase in intensity but if left alone they die. torches are associated with marriage
verba plura ferunt quam quos iuvat usus aratri detrectant prensi dum iuga prima boves
when oxen refuse their first yoke after being rounded up they suffer more blows than those who take pleasure in the work of the plough
when oxen fight the yoke they feel more pain and by delaying boves meaning oxen to the end if the sentence it gives the impression of people suffering
asper equus duris contunditur ora lupatis frena minus senit quisquis ad arma facit
a spirited horse has its mouth bruised by the hard teeth of the bit but one that adapts to its harness feels the bridle less
taming a horse if it fights the bit more pain will be endured
acrius invitos multoque ferocius urget quam qui servitum ferre fatentur Amore
Love assails the unwilling much more fiercely and ferociously than those who confess that they are enslaved
now the same analogy shown in nature is shown in love showing that fighting the love makes it worse and more painful
acrius…ferocius
more fiercely and ferociously
comparative words that are used to highlight the pain
serventium Armor
slavery of love
this is a stock theme of love poetry and is used from lines 18-46 in this poem. This also allows the parody of a triumph where cupid or love is the conquering general and his victims are those he has made fall in love
preada
war prise
a word with military overtones and linked with the idea of slavery
porrigimus… manus
I stretch out.. my hands
as if he has been captured and put in chains
iura
bidding
he has been placed under control of love
pacem veniamque rogamus
I ask for mercy and peace
subservent to love
nec tibi laus armis victus inermis ero
I shall not bring you glory conquered unarmed by arms
ovid is no longer putting up a fight which contrasts with poem one
myrto
myrtle
tree of venus
columbas
doves
currum
chariot
the triumphant general’s chariot would be drawn by horses here by venus’ birds which are doves
victurus
stepfather
ie Vulcan- cupid is the sone of jupited and stepson of vulcan just as augustus is the stepson of the divine julius- a hint to what is to come perhaps
capti capetaeque
captive…captive
repetition dhows that both are captured and won over by love, both boys and girls are slaves to love
et nova captiva vincula mente feram
will bear my fresh chains with submissive mind
nova- short goes with vincula-chains while captiva- log goes with the feminine mente- mind. Again ovids servile acceptance of Love is in stark contrast with the misery and agony of the other poets who have been enslaved
Mens Bona ducetur manibus post terga retoris et Pudir et castris quidqiud Amoris obest
Good sense will be in the procession with her hand s tied behind her back and Modesty and whoever resists Love’s army
personification of good sense and modesty highlights other elements captured and controlled by love
Mens Bona
good sense
worshiped as a goddess in rome
Pudor
modesty
Augustus passed laws designed to punish adultery and reward faithful marriage partners
castris
camp
Cupid as general image is maintained
Blanditiae
Flattery
personification- what happens when in love
Error
delusion
personification- what happens when in love
Furor
madness
personification- what happens when in love
nudus
defenceless
Ovid makes a joke for cupid is usually portrayed in art as a naked child. Here nudus id the equivalent of defenceless
mater
mother
The Julian family claimed descent from Venus through Iulus, son of Aeneas. Ovid is preparing the ground for the reference to Cupid’s relaitive Caesar i.e Augustus
auratis…rotis
golden chariot
rotis means wheels so this is an example of synecdoche
aureus
golden
gold was the metal of the gods. In a triumph the general had his skin dyed a reddish gold colour
gema variante capillos…aures ipse
jewels adorning your hair…a golden figure
the juxtaposition of jewels and gold in these lines highlighting the extravagence
ures
on fire
passion of love can be harmful
fervida vicino flamma vapore nocet
your scorching flame does damage when its heat comes near
alliteration of v and f highlights the harm caused by love and how it can be harmful
alitibus
birds
this is a reference to the doves of venus
tigeribus
tigers
Bacchus was often portrayed in art in a chariot drawn by wild beasts symbolising his wild power
tu gravis alitibus tigerebus ille fuit
you oppress with birds as he did with tigers
compares god of wine to cupid not in a good way- lack of control baccus had tigers to draw his chariot, cupid has doves- ridiculous image of cupid. Ovid is trying to be comical
parce..perdere
refrain from wasting
Ovid again pleads for mercy since Cupid has been victorious since Ovid’s immediate surrender at the beginning of the poem
qua vicit, victos protegit ille manu
he protects the conquered with the hand with which he conquered them
being conquered by the romans was a benifit for people
Caesaris arma
caesar’s army
Ovid maneges to link caesar to venus through Aenas. These lines can be seen of Caesar as a protector.
plot explain
-Ovid struggles to sleep
-Ovid victim of love
-Ovid surrenders to love
-Ovid gives nature examples of things being less painful when you give in : torches, oxen and horses
-Ovid says love enslaves people
-Ovid is cupids war prise
-Triumph
-Love harmful
-Ovid compares Cupid to Baccus
-Caesar conquers people
