Amores II.19

If you feel no need of guarding your love for yourself, O fool, see that you guard her for me, that I may desire her the more! What one may do freely has no charm; what one may not do pricks more keenly on. He has a heart of iron who loves what another concedes. Let us hope while we fear and fear while we hope, we lovers, and let repulse sometimes be ours to make a place for vows. What care I for the fortune that never troubles to deceive? May nothing be mine that never wounds!

Corinna the artful had marked this weakness in me, and shrewdly recognised the means by which to snare me. Ah, how often has she feigned an aching head when wholly well, and bid me go away when my tardy foot delayed! Ah, how oft has she feigned a charge, and put on the air — as far as she could with a guiltless man— of attacking me! Thus, when she had stirred me up, and fanned into flame again the cooling fires, she would be friendly once more, and compliant to my prayers. What winsome ways she would have, how sweet she would make her words! And kisses, O great gods, what kisses, and how many she would give!

You, too, who have lately stolen my eyes away, see that oft you be fearful of plots, and oft when entreated say me nay; and allow me to stretch myself on the threshold of your door and suffer long cold through the rimy night. Tis thus my love grows hardy, and keeps on waxing through long years; this is what helps it; 'tis this that nourishes my passion. A love fed fat and too compliant is turned to cloying, and harms us, like sweet fare that harms the stomach. Had Danae never been mewed in the brazen tower, Danae would never have been made mother by Jove; as long as Juno guarded Io, changed to a horned beast, she made her charm greater than before to Jove. Whoever desires the unforbidden and easy, let him pluck leaves from the tree, and drink water from the mighty stream. Would any fair one reign long, let her delude her lover. Ah me, may I not meet torment from my own advice! Yet, come what may, to be indulged is a bane to me — what follows, I fly; what flies, I follow in turn.

But you, too careless of your pretty dear, begin already at nightfall to close your door. Begin to ask who it is that so often stealthily beats on your threshold, why the dogs bay in the silence of the night, what tablets the cunning slave-girl brings and takes, why your lady rests so often apart from you. Let cares like that gnaw sometimes into your marrows, and give me place and matter for my wiles. Who would make love with the wife of a fool could steal the sands from a deserted shore. I give you warning now in time : unless you begin to watch your lady, she will begin to cease being mine! I have borne O An ancient way of knocking at the door. much, and for long; I have often hoped the time would come when you would watch her well, that I might trick you well. You are slow, and endure things unendurable to any husband; but ah! for me, your complaisance will be the end of lm!

Unhappy that I am, shall I really never be kept from seeing her? Shall the night never threaten me with someone's revenge? Am I to fear nothing? Shall I heave no sighs in the midst of my slumbers? Will you do nothing to give me reason to wish you dead? What do I want with a facile husband — with a husband who is a pander? With his failing he ruins our joys. Why not seek another, whom such long-suffering pleases? If you please to have me your rival, forbid it!