Book III, Elegy 13

Ye ask, wherefore the greed of women makes their love so costly, and wherefore our empty coffers cry out that Venus has been their bane. Clear and undoubted is the cause of such vast ruin; the path of luxury has grown overfree. The Indian ant sends gold from the caves of the mine, the nautilus shell comes from the Red Sea; Cadmean Tyre sends hues of purple, and the Arab shepherd rich-scented cinnamon. These weapons storm the hearts even of close-guarded virgins and such as are cold as thou, O daughter of Icarius. Matrons go forth arrayed in spendthrifts' fortunes and flaunt the spoils of infamy before our eyes. No shame is there in asking or in giving; or if any there be, even reluctance is banished at a price.

Blest is that peerless law for the burial of Eastern husbands, whom the crimson dawn colours with her steeds! For when the last torch is set to the dead man's bier his wives stand round, a pious company with streaming hair, and struggle for death one with another, who living shall follow her dead lord; 'tis shame to be debarred from death. The victors burn and offer their breasts to the flame and lay charred faces on their husband's body. But here the race of brides is faithless; here doth no woman show Evadne's faith or Penelope's loyalty.

Happy the young that dwelt in peace of old, whose wealth was in harvest and orchard. Their offerings were Cydonian apples shaken from the bough; they gave baskets filled with purple brambles, now with their hands plucked violets, now brought home shining lilies mingled together in the maidens' paniers, and carried grapes clad in their own leaves or some dappled bird of rainbow plumage. Bought by such wooing as this were the kisses that girls gave their silvan lovers in secret caves. A roe-deer's skin was enough to cover two lovers, and the grass grew tall to make them nature's couch. The pine bowed o'er them and cast its rich shade about them; nor was it a sin to see goddesses naked: the horned ram of his own accord led back his ewes sated with grazing to the empty fold of the shepherd god. All gods and goddesses that guard the countryside spake kindly words to the hearths of men. "Stranger, whoe'er thou art that comest, thou shalt hunt the hare in my paths or the bird, if bird thou seekest: and whether thou pursuest thy prize with lime-rod or with hound, call me Pan from the crag to be thy comrade."

But now the shrines lie neglected in deserted groves: piety is vanquished and all men worship gold. Gold has banished faith, gold has made judgment to be bought and sold, gold rules the law, and, law once gone, rules chastity as well.

Portals of burning fire bear witness to the sacrilege of Brennus, when he assailed the Pythian realms of the god unshorn: and soon Parnassus shook its laurel-bearing peak and scattered its snows over the arms of Gaul. Thee, Polydorus, did guilty Polymestor, bought by the gold of Thrace, nurture with treacherous hospitality. That thou too, Eriphyla, mightest deck thy shoulders with gold, the steeds of Amphiaraus are sunken and earth knows him no more.

I will speak out; and may my country find me a true seer! Rome is being shattered by her own prosperity. I speak sure truth, but none believe me; for neither was the frenzied maid of Ilium ever to be deemed a true seer amid the woes of Troy: she only cried that Paris was building Phrygia's doom, she only that, freighted with treachery, the horse stole on her home. Her madness carried profit for her country and for her sire. The tongue that none believed proved that the gods were true.