Book III, Elegy 20

Deemst thou that he whom thou hast seen set sail from thine embraces can give a thought to the remembrance of thy beauty? Cruel the man that had the heart to leave his mistress for the sake of gain! When such tears as thine were shed was all Africa worth the winning? But thou, foolish girl, dreamst of the gods by whom he swore, and of the light words he spake. Perchance e'en now he vexes his heart with another passion.

Thy beauty hath power, thine are the chaste arts of Pallas, and glorious is the renown shed on thee by thy learned grandsire. Rich enough is thine house, if thy lover be but true! I will be true: do thou, my love, hasten to my couch!

The first night of love is come for me. Grant me, Moon and Sun, the full space of that first night. Moon, linger longer than thy wont o'er our first embraces. Thou too, Phoebus, that o'ermuch prolongst thy summer fires, shorten the course of thy laggard light. First must the terms be made, the pact be sealed, the contract written, that shall rule my new love. Love himself with his own signet seals up our troth; the whirling crown of the starry goddess is witness. How many an hour shall first yield to my tale of love ere Venus spur us to her sweet warfare! For if Love's bed be not bound by compact sure the lover's nights of sleepless watching find no gods to avenge them, and lust soon breaks the fetters it imposed: but for us may our love's first omens keep fast our troth. Wherefore for him that breaks the pledge that he swore on heaven's altars, and pollutes the rites of wedlock by turning to other loves, for him be all the woes love knows so well, and let shrill-tongued gossip fasten on him, nor, though he weep, may the window of his mistress be unbarred to him by night; let him love without ceasing, yet ever lack the fruition of love.