OVID'S ELEGIES. P. OVIDII NASONIS AMORUM ELEGIA I. LIBER PRIMUS. Quemadmodum a Cupidine pro bellis amores scribere coactus sit. WE which were Ovid's five books,* now are three; With Muse prepar'd, I meant ‡ to sing of arms, Rash boy, who gave thee power to change a line? * We which were Ovid's five books, &c.] When Mr. Collier (Bridgewater Cat., p. 189) quoted these four lines as a proof that Marlowe "took some liberties with his original," he was not aware that they are a literal translation of Ovid's Epigramma in Amores suos. ↑ thy] So eds. B, C.-Ed. A "the." prepar'd, I meant] So eds. B, C.-Ed. A "vpreard, I meane." § took] So eds. B, C.-Ed. A "take." What] So eda. B, C.-Ed. A "That.-We read in the original, "Quid? si præripiat flava Venus arma Minerva, Ventilet accensas flava Minerva faces?" But Marlowe must have read "Dianæ " and "Diana." Are all things thine? the Muses' Tempe* thine? I have no mistress nor no favorite, Thus I complain'd; but Love unlock'd his quiver, I burn; love in my idle bosom sits. ELEGIA II. Quod, primo amore correptus, in triumphum duci se a Cupidine patiatur. WHAT makes my bed seem hard, seeing it is soft?** Or why slips down the coverlet so oft? * Tempe] So ed. A.-Eds. B, C. "Temple." twork's] So eds. B, C.-Ed. A "worke." Love] So eds. B, C.-Ed. A "I." § numbers] So eds. B, C.-Ed. A "number." shine] i. e. sheen, shining. ¶ sprays] Old eds. "praise."-At the end of this elegy, Ed. A has "C. Marlowe." ** it is soft] So eds. B, C.-Ed. A "it is so soft.' Although the nights be long, sleep not tho;* My sides are sore with tumbling to and fro. Were Love the cause, it's like I should descry him; Or lies he close, and shoots where none can spy him? 'Twas so; he struck † me with a slender ‡ dart; 'Tis cruel Love turmoils my captive heart. Yielding, or struggling,§ do we give him might? Let's yield a burden easlly borne is light. I saw a brandish'd fire increase in strength; Which being not shak'd,|| I saw it die at length. Young oxen newly-yok'd are beaten more Than oxen which ¶ have drawn the plough before; And rough jades' mouths with stubborn bits are torn, But manag'd horses' heads are lightly borne. And hold my conquer'd hands for thee to tie. grace: With arms to conquer armless men is base. Shall follow thee, their hands tied at their back: ride, Which troops have always been on Cupid's side: Thou with these soldiers conquer'st gods and men: Take these away, where is thine |||| honour then? *tho] i. e. then. † struck] So ed. C.-Ed. A "strok."-Ed. B "strook." ↑ slender] So eds. B, C.-Ed. A "tender." § struggling] So eds. B, C.-Ed. A "striuing." shak'd] So ed. A.-Eds. B, C "slackt." ¶ which] So eds. A, B.-Ed. C "that." **thy] So eds. B, C.-Not in ed. A. tt triumph] So eds. B, C.-Ed. A "triumphes." ‡‡ Good meaning, shame] "Mens Bona ... Et Pudor." §§ fear] Our poet's copy of Ovid had "Terror." The right reading is "Error." thine] So eds. B, C.-Ed. A "thy." Thy mother shall from heaven applaud this show, I crave ++ too much would she but let me love her! Jove knows with such-like prayers I daily move her. Accept him that will serve thee all his youth, I love but one, and her +++ I love change never: With beauty of thy wings thy fair hair gilded] Our poet's copy of Ovid had "Tu, penna pulchros gemina variante capillos." twounds So eds. B, C.-Ed. A "wordes." thine] So eds. B, C.-Ed. A "thy." § kinsman) Old eds. "kinsmans." the] Old eds. "thee." Ther] So ed. A.-Eds. B, C, "he." ** never] So eds. B, C.-Not in ed. A. 4 cravej So ed. A.-Eds. B, C, "aske." I love with] So eds. B, C.-Ed. A "loue thee with." $$ make me thine] So eds. B, C.-Ed. A "cause me to be thine." land] So eds. B, C.-Ed. A "landes." ¶¶ may] i. e. may make me thine. *** gives] So eds. B, C.-Ed. A "giue." ttt her] So eds. B, C.-Ed. A "he." The years that fatal Destiny shall give I'll live with thee, and die ere* thou shalt † grieve. Be thou the happy subject of my books, And she to whom in shape of swan § Jove came; ELEGIA IV.|| Amicam, qua arte quibusve nutibus in cæna, presente viro, uti debeat, admonet. THY husband to a banquet goes with me; Turn round thy gold ring, as it were to ease thee. *ere] So eds. B, C.-Ed. A "or." shalt] So ed. A.-Eds. B, C, "shall." horned] So eds. A, B.-Ed. C. "honored." § swan] So eds. B, C.-Ed. A "Bull." Elegia IV.] Not in ed. A. clip] i. e. embrace. ** warnings] So ed. B.-Ed. C "warning." tt return] Old eds. "receiue."-"Excipe furtivas, et refer ipsa, notas." 1 thumb] So ed. B.-Ed. C "tombe." Strike on the board, like them that pray for evil, At night thy husband clips ** thee: I will weep, * will him drink] i. e. desire him to drink. Ask thou the boy what] i. e. Ask thou the boy for what, &c. gobbets] i. e. morsels, bits.-Old eds. "goblets."-The absolute necessity of the alteration which I have made here, is proved by the original,-" Rejice libatos illius ore cibos." I need hardly add, that Marlowe mistakes the meaning of the line. § lean] So ed. C.-Ed. B. "leaue." am] So ed. B.-Ed. C "are." warnj So ed. B.-Ed. C "warme." ** clips] i. e. embraces (as frequently in these Elegies; see the opposite col, &c.), our author (who seems to have read "includit ") having here misunderstood the original, -"Nocte vir includet [i. e. will shut you up, like a wild beast]." tt And to the doors sight of thyself [will] keep]“Quâ licet, ad sævas prosequar usque fores." 316 Constrain'd against thy will, give it the peasant: pleasant. To him I pray it no delight may bring, ELEGIA V. Corinnæ concubitus. In summer's heat, and mid-time of the day, To rest my limbs, upon a bed I lay. One window shut, the other open stood; Which gave such light as twinkles in a wood, Like twilight glimpse at setting of the sun, Or night being past, and yet not day begun; Such light to shamefac'd maidens must be shown, Where they may sport, and seem to be unknown. Then came Corinna in a long loose gown, Her white neck hid with tresses hanging down; Resembling fair Semiramis going to bed, Or Läis of a thousand lovers § sped.|| I snatch'd her gown: being thin, the harm was small; Yet striv'd she to be cover'd therewithal; And striving thus, as one that would be cast, Betray'd herself, and yielded at the last. Stark naked as she stood before mine eye, Not one wen ¶ in her body could I spy. What arms and shoulders did I touch and see! How apt her breasts were to be press'd by me! How smooth a belly under her waist saw I, How large a leg, and what a lusty thigh! To leave the rest, all lik'd ** me passing well: I cling'd her naked body; ++ down she fell. Judge you the rest: being tir'd,++ she bade me kiss: Jove send me more such afternoons as this! ELEGIA VI.* Ad janitorem, ut fores sibi aperiat. But in times past I fear'd vain shades and night, And smiling said, "Be thou as bold as other." Forth with love came: no dark night-flying sprite, Nor hands prepar'd to slaughter, me affright. But what entreats for thee sometimes took place, (O mischief!) now for me obtain small grace. Gratis thou mayst be free; give like for like; Night goes away; the doors bar backward strike: Strike; so again hard chains shall bind thee never, Nor servile water shalt thou drink for ever. *Elegia VI.] Not in ed. A. ↑ hearing it] Marlowe's copy of Ovid had "ut audivit." Thee fear I too much] Imperfectly rendered. "Te nimium lentum timeo." § den] Old eds. "dende."-"claustra." - Marlowe's copy of Ovid had "Aspice, ut invideas," &c. Gratis thou mayst be free] Marlowe's copy of Ovid having had "Gratis licet esse quod opto." How the original should be read here, seems doubtful. from my gear] "A membris... meis." See, Love with me, wine moderate in my brain, ELEGIA VII.* Ad pacandam amicam, quam verberaverat. BIND fast my hands, they have deservèd chains, Night runs away; with open entrance greet While rage is absent, take some friend the them. Art careless? or is't sleep forbids thee hear, Giving the winds my words running in thine ear? Well I remember, when I first did hire thee, Watching till after mid-night did not tire thee. But now perchance thy wench with thee doth rest: Ah, how thy lot is above my lot blest! Silent the city is; night's dewy host March fast away: the bar strike from the post; Or I more stern than fire or sword will turn, And with my brand theset gorgeous houses burn. Night, love, and wine to all extremes persuade; Night, shameless wine, and love are fearless made. All have I spent: no threats or prayers move thee; O, harder than the doors thou guard'st I prove thee ! No pretty wench's keeper mayst thou be! And doors conjoin'd with an hard iron lock. pains; For rage against my wench mov'd my rash arm; My mistress weeps whom my mad hand did harm. I might have then my parents dear misus'd, So fair she was, Atalanta she resembled, Such Ariadne was, when she bewails But secretly her looks with checks did trounce me; Her tears, she silent, guilty did pronounce me. Would of mine arms my shoulders had been scanted! Better I could part of myself have wanted. furious, And to myself could I be so injurious? raise; Pay vows to Jove; engirt thy hairs with bays; |