Ovid 8 Flashcards
colligere incertos et in ordine ponere crines docta neque ancillas inter habenda Nape
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
inque ministeriis furtivae cognita noctis utilis et dandis ingeniosa notis
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
saepe venire ad me dubitantem hortata Corinnam, saepe laboranti fida reperta mihi
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
docta
skilled
cognita
clever
utilis
useful
ingeniosa
secret
fida reperta
found faithful
accipe… perfer… pelle
take… deliver… push aside
3 commands emphisise urgency
accipe et ad dominam peraratas mane tabellas perfer et obstantes sadula pelle moras
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
nec silicum venae nec durum in pectore ferrum nec tibi simplicitas ordine maior adest
You have no flint or hard iron in your heart, nor have you greater simplicity than benefits your station
Flattery
credibile est et te senisse Cupidinis arcus: in me militiae signa tuere tuae
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
si quaret quidi agam, spe noctis vivere dices certa fert blanda cera notata manu.
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
dum loquor, hora fugit: vacuace bene redde tabelas verum continuo fsc tamen illa legat
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
aspiicias oculos mando fontemque legentis: et tactio vultu scire futura licet
even from a silent expression you can tell what the result will be
He wants Nape to study Corinna’s expression
nec mora perlectis rescribat multa iubeto
without delay, when she has read the whole message bid her write back at length
odi, cum late splendida cerca vacat
I hate it when the gleaming wax is largely blank
comprimat ordinibius versus, oculosque moretur margine in extremo littera rasa meos
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?
hora fugit: vacuae bene… nec mora
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
dices; redde tabellas; fac illa legat; aspicias oculos; rescribat multa iubeto
you shall say; deliver the tablets; make sure that she reads; you can tell; bid her write back
The commands reflect urgency
iubeto
bid
irony here that a slave should order a freeborn
quid digitos opus est graphio lassare tenendo?
But why must she weary her fingers by holding the pen?
He has another thought
hoc habeat scriptum tota tabella ‘veni’
Let the whole tablet have just this written on it ‘come’
Finally, he makes up his mind- he just needs a one word answer
non ego victrices lauro redimire tabellas nec Veneris media ponere in aede morer
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
subscribam VENERI FIDAS SIBI NASO MINISTRAS DEDICAT. AT NUPER VILE FUISTIS ACER
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
