Ovid 8

Question 1

colligere incertos et in ordine ponere crines docta neque ancillas inter habenda Nape

Answer 1

You who are skilled in gathering wayward locks and putting them in place and are not to be reckoned among ordinary slave girls

First two lines of the poem are full of flattery but Nape’s name is delayed until the end of line 2 when we have discovered not only is she a slave girl but he names her. This could be seen as somewhat unusual to be so ingratiating towards slaves

Question 2

inque ministeriis furtivae cognita noctis utilis et dandis ingeniosa notis

Answer 2

you who have been proven useful in the services of the stealthy night and clever at giving secret signs

His motive is made clear because not only is she good at doing hair, she is also useful as an accomplice in allowing secret meetings between Ovid and his mistress. ‘furtivae noctis’-stealthy night- is transfered epithet that has a double emphasis of the secretive nature of the affair

Question 3

saepe venire ad me dubitantem hortata Corinnam, saepe laboranti fida reperta mihi

Answer 3

you who have often encouraged Corinna When she was hesitant to come to me and have often been found faithful to me when I was in difficulties

Flattery- repetition of saepe highlights how greatful he is for her

Question 4

docta

Answer 4

skilled

Question 5

cognita

Answer 5

clever

Question 6

utilis

Answer 6

useful

Question 7

ingeniosa

Answer 7

secret

Question 8

fida reperta

Answer 8

found faithful

Question 9

accipe… perfer… pelle

Answer 9

take… deliver… push aside

3 commands emphisise urgency

Question 10

accipe et ad dominam peraratas mane tabellas perfer et obstantes sadula pelle moras

Answer 10

take these tablets written this morning and deliver them to your mistress and zealously push aside any delay that stands in your path

The use of flattery is now clear- he wants her to do something

Question 11

nec silicum venae nec durum in pectore ferrum nec tibi simplicitas ordine maior adest

Answer 11

You have no flint or hard iron in your heart, nor have you greater simplicity than benefits your station

Flattery

Question 12

credibile est et te senisse Cupidinis arcus: in me militiae signa tuere tuae

Answer 12

I can believe that you too have felt cupid’s bow: defended the standards of your own army by helping me

Ovid suggests that they have something in common- the slave girl too is susceptible to love. they should join forces against the attack of Cupid. Military language is used

Question 13

si quaret quidi agam, spe noctis vivere dices certa fert blanda cera notata manu.

Answer 13

If she asks how I am, you shall say that I live by the hope of a night with her; the wax marked by my amorous hand tells the rest

Question 14

dum loquor, hora fugit: vacuace bene redde tabelas verum continuo fsc tamen illa legat

Answer 14

while I speak time flies: deliver the tablets to her when she is quite free, but all the same make sure she reads

Desperate for her to get the tablets

Question 15

aspiicias oculos mando fontemque legentis: et tactio vultu scire futura licet

Answer 15

even from a silent expression you can tell what the result will be

He wants Nape to study Corinna’s expression

Question 16

nec mora perlectis rescribat multa iubeto

Answer 16

without delay, when she has read the whole message bid her write back at length

Question 17

odi, cum late splendida cerca vacat

Answer 17

I hate it when the gleaming wax is largely blank

Question 18

comprimat ordinibius versus, oculosque moretur margine in extremo littera rasa meos

Answer 18

Let her compress the lines of writhing close together, and let letters inscribed on the edge of the margin detain my eyes

Imagery of her taking the time to read it. He cant make up his mind whether he wants her to take the time to write back but urges her to write as much as possible. This is a reference to using up all the space on the tablet to save money- is Ovid a bit tight?

Question 19

hora fugit: vacuae bene… nec mora

Answer 19

time flies; when she is quite free… without delay

Ovid is torn between wanting her to return quickly with an answer and making sure she reads his message and takes time to reply. He uses word choice to show how he wants Nape to be quick, the secretive nature of the task however means that she has to wait until she is fee

Question 20

dices; redde tabellas; fac illa legat; aspicias oculos; rescribat multa iubeto

Answer 20

you shall say; deliver the tablets; make sure that she reads; you can tell; bid her write back

The commands reflect urgency

Question 21

iubeto

Answer 21

bid

irony here that a slave should order a freeborn

Question 22

quid digitos opus est graphio lassare tenendo?

Answer 22

But why must she weary her fingers by holding the pen?

He has another thought

Question 23

hoc habeat scriptum tota tabella ‘veni’

Answer 23

Let the whole tablet have just this written on it ‘come’

Finally, he makes up his mind- he just needs a one word answer

Question 24

non ego victrices lauro redimire tabellas nec Veneris media ponere in aede morer

Answer 24

I should not hesitate to crown with laurel the victorious tablets and set them up in the middle of Venus’ temple

Further triumph vocabulary- imagery of crowning the tablets with laurel. Deley of words to say he won’t delay

Question 25

subscribam VENERI FIDAS SIBI NASO MINISTRAS DEDICAT. AT NUPER VILE FUISTIS ACER

Answer 25

I will write ‘Venus Naso dedicates the tablets that were faithful to him. Yet not long ago you were cheap maple wood

Ovid parodies the great general placing votive tablets, another meaning of ‘tabellas’; they are described as ‘victrices’- conquering, but instead of being placed in ‘aede’ the temple of Jupiter or Mars, they would be placed in the temple of Venus