Book I, Elegy 13

Thou, Gallus, as thou oft art wont, wilt rejoice at my misfortunes, because my love has been snatched from me and I am left lonely and forlorn. But, faithless friend, I will never imitate thy taunts. May never fair one have the heart to play thee false. Even now while thy fame for the loves thou hast beguiled increases ever, and self-possessed thou cleavest ne'er for long to one passion, even now late in time thou beginnest to pale with woe, love-frenzied for one girl, and to retire baffled at the first step of thy advance. This shall be thy punishment for thy scorn of their sorrows; one girl shall avenge the wrongs of many, she shall stay thy ranging loves, nor shall thy search for novelty always win thee a welcome.

No spiteful rumour, no soothsayer tells me this; I saw thy love — darest thou deny the truth to me whose eyes were witness? I saw thee languish with her arms fast about thy neck, I saw thee weep lapped in a long embrace, and yearn to breathe forth thy soul in the words of desire; and last, my friend, I saw, what shame bids me hide. I could not part your embraces, such a wild frenzy bound you each to each. Not with such passion did the Taenarian god, made one with Haemonian Enipeus, embrace Salmoneus' child, the willing victim of his love. Hercules burned not with such love for divine Hebe, when on Oeta's heights he tasted the first joys of godhead. One day surpassed the joys of all past lovers; for no faint torch she kindled in thy veins. She suffered not thine old pride to come o'er thee once again, nor will she let thee be taken from her. Thy passion shall drive thee on and always on.

Nor can I marvel since she is worthy Jove, surpassed by Leda only, and fairer herself alone than all three children of Leda. More winsome would she prove than all Inachia's queens; by her sweet words would she force even Jove to love her. Since then in truth thou art doomed once and for all to die of love, use thy chance: thou wert worthy to besiege no other doors than hers. Since madness to which thou art a stranger has seized thee, may she be kind; and may she and she alone be all thy heart's desire.