Book II, Elegy 9

What yonder fool now is, I often was. Yet one day, it may be, he too shall be cast forth and another dearer to thy heart.

Penelope was able to live true to her vows for twice ten years, a woman worthy to be wooed of so many suitors; she was able to put off her marriage by her false weaving, in crafty wise, unravelling by night the weft of the day, and though she ne'er hoped to look on Ulysses' face again, she remained faithful in his house, grown old in waiting his return. Briseis too, one arm about her dead Achilles, beat her fair cheeks with frenzied hand, and, captive as she was, with weeping washed the bloodstained corpse of her lord and master, where she had laid him in the yellow shallows of Simois; she cast ashes on her hair, and her small hand sufficed to hold the body and mighty bones of the great Achilles. For in that day, Achilles, neither Peleus nor thy sea-born mother, nor Scyrian Deidamia, whom thou leftest widowed, were by thy side.

Thus in those days Greece was glad of her true children; then even in the camp did modesty flourish. But thou, impious one, couldst not forego the joys of even one night, couldst not abide alone for even one day. Nay, more, ye twain laughed loud over the wine-cup, and perchance spake evil words of me. And this man whom thou seekest is even he that first left thee of old. God grant thee joy enslaved by such a man! Is this the end of the vows I made for thy safety, when the waves of Styx had all but whelmed thy head, and round about thy bed we, thy friends, stood and wept? Where then was this lover of thine, O God, or what cared he?

What wouldst thou do were I a soldier, kept far hence in distant Ind, or if my bark were moored in the western ocean? But 'tis easy for you to contrive false tales and deceits. This art alone has woman ne'er failed to learn. Not so swiftly do the Syrtes change before the veering gale, nor the leaves tremble before the wintry South Wind, but swifter far is plighted faith forgot in a woman's anger, be the cause grave or light.

But now, since thou hast chosen this for thy path, I will yield. Bring forth, ye loves, yet sharper arrows, and vying with one another pierce my heart and let the vital spirit free. Great glory shall my life-blood bring ye! The stars are witness and the morning frost, and the door that stealthily oped to let me in, that there ne'er was aught in life more dear to my heart than thou; and thus I'll love thee still, though thou art so unkind. No mistress ever shall come into my bed; alone will I live, since thine I may not be. And oh, if perchance my life hath been spent in true service of the gods, may thy mate in the mid-course of passion become a stone.

In no more deadly strife did the Theban chieftains fight and fall to win a throne, while in their midst their mother strove to part them; nor from such death would I shrink, not though Cynthia strove to part us, if only so thou also mightest die.