Ovid 383-448 Flashcards
Si tamen illa tibi, dum dat recipitque tabellas,
Corpore, non tantum sedulitate placet,
Fac domina potiare prius, comes illa sequatur:
Non tibi ab ancilla est incipienda venus.
However, while she takes and delivers your letters,
if her body, and not only her diligence is pleasing,
make sure (that) you acquire the mistress first, her companion follows.
Do not begin love with the slavegirl.
fac- result clause
(It is not to you by beginning love with the slavegirl)
Hoc unum moneo, siquid modo creditur arti,
Nec mea dicta rapax per mare ventus agit:
Aut non rem temptes aut perfice; tollitur index,
Cum semel in partem criminis ipsa venit.
I urge this one thing, (if any credit is given to my art, and the greedy wind not drive my words across the sea):
either do not try the thing or complete! the informer is taken away,
when once she herself has come part of the crime.
Non avis utiliter viscatis effugit alis;
Non bene de laxis cassibus exit aper.
Saucius arrepto piscis teneatur ab hamo:
Perprime temptatam, nec nisi victor abi.
The bird is unable to escape easily with sticky wings,
The boar does not well leave from the loose net.
let the wounded fish be held, having been caught by the hook.
having tried (the maid?), press hard and don’t leave, unless you are victor.
Tunc neque te prodet communi noxia culpa,
Factaque erunt dominae dictaque nota tibi.
Sed bene celetur: bene si celabitur index,
Notitiae suberit semper amica tuae.
then she will not reveal you, from shared guilty blame,
the deeds and words of her mistress are known to you.
but conceal it well, if the informer is concealed well,
your girlfriend will always be at hand to your notice.
communi noxia- abls.
bene si…amica tuae- future vivid condition.
Tempora qui solis operosa colentibus arva,
Fallitur, et nautis aspicienda putat;
Nec semper credenda ceres fallacibus arvis,
Nec semper viridi concava puppis aquae,
He is deceived, who believes that time is only to be looked at by sailors and those who painstakingly cultivate the fields.
the corn is not always trusted to the deceitful fields,
nor the hollowed ships to the green sea.
qui…putat- relative clause (understand fallitur as subject) followed by indirect statement (aspicienda- gerundive supply esse)
Nec teneras semper tutum captare puellas:
Saepe dato melius tempore fiet idem.
Sive dies suberit natalis, sive Kalendae,
Quas Venerem Marti continuasse iuvat,
nor (is it) always safe to capture young girls
often the same situation will result better at the given time.
whether the day be under her birth, or the Kalends,
which pleases to join Mars and Venus.
tutum- safe
Sive erit ornatus non ut fuit ante sigillis,
Sed regum positas Circus habebit opes,
Differ opus: tunc tristis hiems, tunc Pliades instant,
Tunc tener aequorea mergitur Haedus aqua;
or if the Circus, not adorned with statues as before,
but holds the wealth of kings displayed,
Delay your task; then stormy weather, then Pliades threatens,
then the tender goat is lowered into the water of the sea.
ornastus- adorned PPP
ut - as, of comparison
positas- having been put down (displayed)
differ- imp.
opus- task (winning the gir)
Tunc bene desinitur: tunc siquis creditur alto,
Vix tenuit lacerae naufraga membra ratis.
Tu licet incipias qua flebilis Allia luce
Vulneribus Latiis sanguinolenta fluit,
then it is well to stop. Then if anyone trusts to the deep,
scarcely can he hold the shipwrecked pieces of his mangled ship.
Nevertheless you should begin on the day which lamentable Allia
flows stained with the blood of Latin wounds.
siquis- si (ali)quis. indef after si.
bene desinitur- there is a good stopping (impersonal verb)
licet- it is allowed (nevertheless)
qua … luce- abl of time ‘when’
flebis- lamentable, tearful
Quaque die redeunt, rebus minus apta gerendis,
Culta Palaestino septima festa Syro.
Magna superstitio tibi sit natalis amicae:
Quaque aliquid dandum est, illa sit atra dies.
and that day, less suited to the carrying out business, returns
the seventh festival honored by the syrians of Palestine.
May you have great dread for your girlfriend’s birthday.
Let that be a black day, which a gift must be given.
apta gerendis- gerundive, dat of purpose.
superstitio- dread, awe
tibi sit- ‘may there be to you’
dandum est- gerundive + sum = must be.
Cum bene vitaris, tamen auferet; invenit artem
Femina, qua cupidi carpat amantis opes.
Institor ad dominam veniet discinctus emacem,
Expediet merces teque sedente suas:
Shun it well although she will carry away, a woman devises arts,
which enjoy the wealth of an eager lover.
An unbelted salesman will come to the mistress in a buying mood,
and lay out his wares while you are sitting.
cum- concessive cum clause
emacem- adj, emax, fond of buying
Quas illa, inspicias, sapere ut videare, rogabit:
Oscula deinde dabit; deinde rogabit, emas.
Hoc fore contentam multos iurabit in annos,
Nunc opus esse sibi, nunc bene dicet emi.
she will ask that you, appearing wise, examine them,
then will kiss you, then ask you to buy.
She will swear that she will be content with this for many years,
she will say that there is need of it now for her, that now is a good time to buy.
rogabit - opens indirect command
iurabit- opens indir. command (acc + inf. fore fut inf of sum)
opus- need
dicet- indirect statement.
Si non esse domi, quos des, causabere nummos,
Littera poscetur—ne didicisse iuvet.
Quid, quasi natali cum poscit munera libo,
Et, quotiens opus est, nascitur illa, sibi?
if you plead that your coins are not at hand, she will ask for a note,
so that you swore to have learned.
what, when she claims a gift as a birthday cake,
and is there a need for her birthday as often?
domi- at hand
causabere- future 2nd person, opens indirect state.
didicisse- perf. inf of disco
quid…cum- what when, temporal cum clause
opus est- it is needful.
Quid, cum mendaci damno maestissima plorat,
Elapsusque cava fingitur aure lapis?
Multa rogant utenda dari, data reddere nolunt:
Perdis, et in damno gratia nulla tuo.
what, when she weeps, full of sadness, at a pretend loss,
or an earring is feigned to have slipped from her ears?
They ask for many things to borrow, the things having been borrowed are not returned.
you have lost them, and no thanks is given for your loss.
Non mihi, sacrilegas meretricum ut persequar artes,
Cum totidem linguis sint satis ora decem.
Cera vadum temptet, rasis infusa tabellis:
Cera tuae primum conscia mentis eat.
ten months with just as many mouths, would not be enough for me so as to relate the unholy arts of prostitutes.
let wax attempt the streams, poured on smoothed tablets,
let wax go first as the witness of your mind.
ut - result clause.
cera- juss. subj
vadum-stream
Blanditias ferat illa tuas imitataque amantem
Verba; nec exiguas, quisquis es, adde preces.
Hectora donavit Priamo prece motus Achilles;
Flectitur iratus voce rogante deus.
let that carry your flatteries and words that imitate the lover,
not paltry, and whoever you are, add prayers.
A prayer moved Achilles to bestow Hector back to Priam,
An angry god is moved by a praying voice.
