Ovid 3

Question 1

what does ovid use through out this poem to convince his girl he is faithful

Answer 1

suasoria which is a rhetorical exercise involving pleading cases and making convincing arguments

Question 2

precor

Answer 2

I pray

line 1-4
The poem begins in the form of a prayer, there was a set formula for roman prayers. Firstly he asks for something, but then worries he asks for too much

Question 3

praedata est

Answer 3

war prize

Connect to praeda meaning war prize. Ovid is suggesting that he is her war prise, she is the proactive one in this relationship, he has mercy on her, or in other words his slave. Propertius also uses this: ‘Cynthia captured me’ (poem 29). Ovid- the hunted and the huntress; also or the ‘militia amoris’, campaigns of love. Soldier/lover

Question 4

amet, faciat, patiatur

Answer 4

love me, give me, permit me

subjunctives, indicate what he prays should happen

Question 5

aut amet aut faciat, cur ego sempre amem.a nimium volui: tantum patiatur amari

Answer 5

either love me or give me reasons for always loving her. Alas i have wanted too much. Let her only permit me to love her

What he prays for

Question 6

nuper praedata puella

Answer 6

girl…now…war prise

alliteration of ‘p’ = seiousness of the poem

Question 7

amari

Answer 7

to love

passive verb suggesting she is the one with the power- allow herself to be loved by him

Question 8

Cyntherea preces

Answer 8

Venus prayers

prayers ends opening section - echo of precor in line 1- ring composition

Question 9

accipe

Answer 9

accept a man

the next stage of the prayer is offering something in return

Question 10

deserviat

Answer 10

slave

offering himself up as a slave- lover as a slave

Question 11

si me non veterum commendant magma parentum nomina, si nostri sanguinis auctor eques nec meus innumeris renovatur campus aratris temperat et sumptus parcus uterque parens

Answer 11

if I do not have proud names of ancient ancestors to commend me, if the founder of my family is merely a knight, if my land is not renewed by countless ploughs and both my parents thrifitly control their spendings

Pleads poverty, without family links; ovid self deprecation. He says he is not wealthy but his family was

Question 12

pura fide

Answer 12

pure loyalty

Question 13

at Phoebus comitesque novem vitisque repertor hac faciunt et me qui tibi donat Amor, et nulli cessura fides, sine crimine mores nudaque simplicitas purpureusque pudor

Answer 13

yet Phoebus and his nine companions and the inventor of the vine are on my side, and love, who presents me to you his gift and my loyalty, which yeilds to none, my blameless character, my open serenity, and blushing modesty

He offers his skill as a poet

Question 14

vitis repertor…Amor

Answer 14

the inventor of the vine…love

His power lies in his companions- Bacchus and love

Question 15

fides, mores, simplicitas, pudor

Answer 15

loyalty, blameless character, sincerity, modesty

What he offers

Question 16

nuda

Answer 16

open

not an inocent word in this context. Cupid depicted as naked, so is it just naked sincerity he is offering

Question 17

purpureus pudor

Answer 17

blushing modesty

alliteration of pu shows stammering so ovid is pretending to be embarrased

Question 18

et nulli cessura fides, sine crimine mores nudaque simplicitas purpureusque pudor

Answer 18

and my loyalty which yeilds to none, my blamless character, my open sincerity, and my blushing modesty

this is a pun as he is offering the attributes to the gods that someone would to a girlfriend

Question 19

desultor amoris

Answer 19

leap from one to another

bold image: a circus acrobat jumping from horse to horse. Horse-riding was an obvious metaphor for sex

Question 20

non mille placent

Answer 20

I do not take pleasure in a thousand girls

Ambiguity. A thousand women dont please me. does that mean she is the only one for him, or actually he needs two or three thousand

Question 21

tu

Answer 21

you

Ovid uses tu/tibi/te and mihi often if lines 16-19 usually juxtaposed. A cliche of love poetry

Question 22

si qua fides

Answer 22

belive me

Either ‘if there is any trust (any where)’ ie. trust me or ‘if there is any trust (residing in me) = ‘if you can trust me

Question 23

perennis

Answer 23

everlating

Question 24

fila sororum

Answer 24

the sister’s threads

the three Fates spun, cut and wove the threads of human existence into the tapestry of life. This phrase used by horace in Odes II, 3

Question 25

te dolent

Answer 25

amid your laments

with you morning/ sorrowing. The grave-side scene: another ‘topos’- type of love poetry. The tone of the elegy is usually sad. The word elegy was wrongly redived by poets from greek e legin to say ‘woe’

Question 26

materiem felicem in carmina, provenient carmina

Answer 26

as a fertile source for poems and poems will come forth

In epic poetry great heroes were not afraid to die, as long as they died gloriously, and they would be remembered in future generations for their heroism and bravery. The love poets offered that they and consequentaly the objects of their love would also live on in their poetry

Question 27

Io

Answer 27

Reference to Io

this is one of the examples ovid uses in his poem to show women lived on in peoples minds
Io was the firts prestest of Hera, the wife of Zeuz. Zeuz fell inlove with her and to protect her from Hera he turned her into a white heifer

Question 28

quam fluminea lusit adulter ave

Answer 28

she whom the adulterer deceived in the form of a swan

This is a refference to leda
this is one of the examples ovid uses in his poem to show women lived on in peoples minds.
Zeuz took a fancy to leda and transformed into a swan and impregnated her before she slept with her husband

Question 29

quaeque super pontum simulato vecta iuvenco virginea tenuit cornua vara manu

Answer 29

and she who, riding the sea on the supposed bull has fame, held the curving horns in her maiden hand

reference to Europa
this is one of the examples ovid uses in his poem to show women lived on in peoples minds
Europa was the epitoment of beauty on earth and Zeus once saw her on the sea shore of Phenicia playing with her friends. He was captivated by her beauty and developed a strong desire to posses her.

Question 30

Why did Ovid uses the examples of Io, Leda and Europa

Answer 30

So we draw the conclusion that that ovid isnt interested in love as these examples are of rape which show he is only interested in using this girl to give him material for his poem

Question 31

nos cantabimur per totum orbem

Answer 31

We too shall be equally famed in poetry throughout the whole world and our names shall always be linked, mine to yours

Ovid and his lover will be known throughout the world- a bold statement. He is saying they could be as famous as the stories of Io, Leda and Europa. To the roman reader the unnamed characters are obvious thereby proving his point. Witty and allusive at the same time. But the myths deliberately undermine his argument by showing Jupiter as an unfaithful lover- reenforcing desultor amoris.

Question 32

What is the irony throughout the poem?

Answer 32

Note that the girl is not named. On the surface Ovid follows in the footsteps of other elegists in offering to be a girl’s loyal lover on the usual terms: vi. I am a slave of love; I am devoted to you; fame through my poetry, girl; love & death; direct address to the girl ect.
BUT
By giving the example of jupiter- whose motto could be non mihi mille placent line 15- Ovid casts severe doubt on his protestation of everlasting love and fidelity. Jupiter is the master of seduction and deception, continually cheating his wife Juno. The god is not a composer of poems. The similarity between Ovid and Jupiter is their ability to deceive. The girl may be taken in but the reader can enjoy Ovid’s clever words of deception. His single mistress to whom he is loyally devoted to is not named. Is this poem ironically poking fun at other poets problems with true devotion?