Book II, Elegy 24

Dost thou talk thus, when thy book has become famous and made thee the talk of all the town, and thy Cynthia is read in all the forum? Whose brow, that heard such words as these, would not be bathed in sweat, whether for honest modesty or for the shameful secret of his love? And yet if Cynthia smiled on me, as once she smiled, I should not now be called the crown of wantonness; my name would not now be draggled in dishonour through all the town, and though my heart still burned with no seemly fire, still would I cheat the world.

Wherefore wonder not that now I seek common women; they are more sparing in slander. Seems that a trifling reason in your eyes? [And they are so expensive. Cynthia now asks me for some costly jewel;] now demands a fan made from some proud peacock's tail, and would cool her hands by holding a hard ball of crystal; she angers me by bidding me demand ivory dice for her, and such worthless gifts as glitter in the Sacred Way. And yet, confound me if I grudge the expense! But now I am ashamed to be the laughing-stock of my faithless mistress!

Cynthia, was this the hope thou didst bid me cherish when our love began? Art not thou ashamed, being so fair, to be so fickle? Not yet have we spent one or two nights in love, and already thou tellest me I am irksome to thy couch. But now thou didst praise me and didst read my songs; does thy love so soon turn his wings to fly elsewhere?

Let thy lover strive against me in wit and poetic skill, and first of all things let him learn to confine his love to one house only; if it be thy pleasure, let him fight with the Lernaean hydras, and fetch thee apples from the guardianship of the Hesperian dragon; let him drink gladly of foul poisons, or, shipwrecked, the sea wave, and never refuse to be wretched for thy sake (ah that thou wouldst prove me, my beloved, with such tasks as these!) and soon thou shalt find him a trembling coward that is now so forward, that by boasts of prowess has attained his proud place of honour in thy heart; next year shall see you parted. But a Sibyl's whole lifetime shall never alter my love, no, nor Alcides' toil, nor the dark hour of death. Thou shalt compose my ashes, and shalt say: "These are thy bones, Propertius; ah! but thou wast true to me! Ah! thou wast true, though sprung from no noble ancestry nor so rich as that other." I will suffer all things for thee; thy wrongs ne'er change my love; to endure one so fair is to me no burden.

Many, I trow, have been smitten by thy fair form; but many, I trow, have broken troth with thee. It was but for a brief space that Theseus loved the daughter of Minos, that Demophoon adored Phyllis, a faithless pair of guests. Thou knowest well Medea borne on Jason's bark, and then left forlorn by the husband she but lately saved.

Cruel is she that feigns false love for many, and hath the heart to deck herself for many eyes. Compare me not with the noble and wealthy: scarce one of them shall come to gather up thine ashes at the end of all. I shall perform that duty for them; but rather I pray that thou mayest bewail me with bared bosom and thine hair unbound.