The Works of Tibullus Containing his Love-Elegies. Translated by Mr Dart. To which is added, The Life of the Author; with Observations on the Original Design of Elegiack Verse; and the Characters of the most Celebrated Greek, Latin and English Elegiack Poets |
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| I. |
| I. |
| II. | ELEGY II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
 | II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
 | The Works of Tibullus |  |
8
ELEGY II.
Bring Wine, my present Griefs with Wine compose,
To easy Sleep my weary Eye-lids close;
Whilst thus dissolv'd, may no Intruder press,
To wake my hapless Love, and injure my Recess.
For pond'rous Gates, and unrelenting Spies,
Conceal my Delia from my longing Eyes.
Obdurate Gates, may Show'rs of Rain descend,
May Jove his Rage in blasting Light'ning send,
Your Hinges break, and ev'ry Fast'ning rend.
Ye Gates, be mov'd for once by my Complaint,
O'ercome by my Request and Pray'rs relent;
With easy Turn unfold, without a Noise,
My Passage favour, and conceal my Joys;
And if my Madness any Ill hath said,
On me alone be all the Curses laid.
Nor ought you to forget how often I,
With many a Pray'r, and many a suppliant Cry,
Have to your Posts my Chaplets hung on high.
To easy Sleep my weary Eye-lids close;
Whilst thus dissolv'd, may no Intruder press,
To wake my hapless Love, and injure my Recess.
For pond'rous Gates, and unrelenting Spies,
Conceal my Delia from my longing Eyes.
Obdurate Gates, may Show'rs of Rain descend,
May Jove his Rage in blasting Light'ning send,
Your Hinges break, and ev'ry Fast'ning rend.
Ye Gates, be mov'd for once by my Complaint,
O'ercome by my Request and Pray'rs relent;
With easy Turn unfold, without a Noise,
My Passage favour, and conceal my Joys;
And if my Madness any Ill hath said,
On me alone be all the Curses laid.
Nor ought you to forget how often I,
With many a Pray'r, and many a suppliant Cry,
Have to your Posts my Chaplets hung on high.
9
And you, my Delia, strive your Guards to cheat,
And fearless, learn from me the close Deceit;
Nor doubt the kind assisting Venus Aid,
She always favours the advent'rous Maid;
She favours when the eager Lover waits,
And the expecting Girl unlocks the Gates;
Urges the am'rous Theft, and shows the Bed.
The silent Foot directs, and cautious Tread.
She teaches, how before the Husband's Eyes,
By Signs to talk, the Courtship in Disguise;
But 'tis not ev'ry one those Secrets knows,
The Goddess only teaches 'em to those
Whom Ease cou'd ne'er perswade to slight Amours,
Nor Fear of rising, tho' at Mid-night Hours.
Lo! I, when Dark, all round the City stray,
Anxious and thoughtful, and neglect my Way;
Fearless I ev'ry threat'ning Danger slight,
Secur'd by Venus in the darksome Night;
Nor suffers she the Sword to stop my Way,
Nor Mid-night Robbers to attain their Prey;
Whom Love defends is sacred by his Care,
And, free from Ill may travel any where,
Nor ought he apprehensive Dangers fear.
Not me, the Frost of wintry Nights restrains;
Not me, the ratling Show'rs and chilly Rains:
Tis Toil too small, if Delia does but wait
With kind Impatience to unfold the Gate;
Whilst she with tim'rous Silence takes her Stand,
I hear the well-known Signal of her Hand:
May no one passing by afford a Light,
To hide her Thefts close Venus takes Delight;
Nor fright with trampling Feet, nor ask my Name,
Nor glare my Visage with a Candle's Flame.
If any one imprudently should spy,
May he forget it, and the Sight deny.
Love by the Babler ne'er was understood,
His Venus sprung from raging Seas and Blood.
And fearless, learn from me the close Deceit;
Nor doubt the kind assisting Venus Aid,
She always favours the advent'rous Maid;
She favours when the eager Lover waits,
And the expecting Girl unlocks the Gates;
Urges the am'rous Theft, and shows the Bed.
The silent Foot directs, and cautious Tread.
She teaches, how before the Husband's Eyes,
By Signs to talk, the Courtship in Disguise;
But 'tis not ev'ry one those Secrets knows,
The Goddess only teaches 'em to those
Whom Ease cou'd ne'er perswade to slight Amours,
Nor Fear of rising, tho' at Mid-night Hours.
Lo! I, when Dark, all round the City stray,
Anxious and thoughtful, and neglect my Way;
Fearless I ev'ry threat'ning Danger slight,
Secur'd by Venus in the darksome Night;
10
Nor Mid-night Robbers to attain their Prey;
Whom Love defends is sacred by his Care,
And, free from Ill may travel any where,
Nor ought he apprehensive Dangers fear.
Not me, the Frost of wintry Nights restrains;
Not me, the ratling Show'rs and chilly Rains:
Tis Toil too small, if Delia does but wait
With kind Impatience to unfold the Gate;
Whilst she with tim'rous Silence takes her Stand,
I hear the well-known Signal of her Hand:
May no one passing by afford a Light,
To hide her Thefts close Venus takes Delight;
Nor fright with trampling Feet, nor ask my Name,
Nor glare my Visage with a Candle's Flame.
If any one imprudently should spy,
May he forget it, and the Sight deny.
Love by the Babler ne'er was understood,
His Venus sprung from raging Seas and Blood.
11
Nor shall thy Husband th' Assignation guess,
Nor doubtful Fears his jealous Head possess:
An ancient Crone expert in Magick Charms,
Assures a safe Defence from future Harms.
Her have I seen call down the Stars from high,
And force their glowing Orbits from the Sky;
Her Songs oppose the River's rapid Speed,
And roll its Waters backward to their Head;
Can shake the Earth, and rend its lab'ring Womb,
And fetch the shaddowy Manes from the Tomb:
Can from the burning Pile the Body call,
Restore it Life, and stop the Funeral.
In Magick Strains from the Tartarëan Coasts,
Invoke (with Milk appeas'd) the bloodless Ghosts:
She, when she pleases, sweeps the Clouds away,
Relieves the lab'ring Sky, and clears the Face of Day.
She in the Summer Time, by Magick Pow'rs,
Can fill the sultry Day with snowy Show'rs;
To her alone Medea's Herbs are known,
And Hecate's Dogs are tam'd by her alone.
She fram'd for me the all-deceiving Verse,
Spit thrice, and thrice the pow'rful Charm rehearse;
No Tales he'll credit, nay, although he spies
Us both in Bed, he'll not believe his Eyes,
But other Sutors shun, for they'll be known,
The saving Magick serves for me alone.
What can I think? She once affirm'd that she,
With Songs and Herbs, could set my Passion free;
With Torches purg'd me, and in Mid-night Hours
Slew a black Victim to th' Infernal Pow'rs.
I did not ask to have my Flame expire,
But only pray'd a mutual Desire;
Pleas'd with a Passion I shall ne'er remove,
I would not have the Pow'r to change my Love.
Nor doubtful Fears his jealous Head possess:
An ancient Crone expert in Magick Charms,
Assures a safe Defence from future Harms.
Her have I seen call down the Stars from high,
And force their glowing Orbits from the Sky;
Her Songs oppose the River's rapid Speed,
And roll its Waters backward to their Head;
Can shake the Earth, and rend its lab'ring Womb,
And fetch the shaddowy Manes from the Tomb:
Can from the burning Pile the Body call,
Restore it Life, and stop the Funeral.
In Magick Strains from the Tartarëan Coasts,
Invoke (with Milk appeas'd) the bloodless Ghosts:
She, when she pleases, sweeps the Clouds away,
Relieves the lab'ring Sky, and clears the Face of Day.
She in the Summer Time, by Magick Pow'rs,
Can fill the sultry Day with snowy Show'rs;
12
And Hecate's Dogs are tam'd by her alone.
She fram'd for me the all-deceiving Verse,
Spit thrice, and thrice the pow'rful Charm rehearse;
No Tales he'll credit, nay, although he spies
Us both in Bed, he'll not believe his Eyes,
But other Sutors shun, for they'll be known,
The saving Magick serves for me alone.
What can I think? She once affirm'd that she,
With Songs and Herbs, could set my Passion free;
With Torches purg'd me, and in Mid-night Hours
Slew a black Victim to th' Infernal Pow'rs.
I did not ask to have my Flame expire,
But only pray'd a mutual Desire;
Pleas'd with a Passion I shall ne'er remove,
I would not have the Pow'r to change my Love.
That Man is Steel who quits my Delia's Charms,
Strange Fool to tempt the Camp and dang'rous Arms!
Let him his Conquest boast, and gain the Field,
And teach the proud Cilicians how to yield:
His labour'd Vests, with rich Embroid'ry wear,
And press the manag'd Steed conspicuous from afar.
Let me my Life with lovely Delia lead,
And on the quiet Hills my Cattle feed;
There close encircling thee with fond Embrace,
Take Noon-tide Slumbers on the easie Grass.
When Love's averse, what Quiet can afford
The Purple Couch to its distracted Lord?
When Midnight Fears disturb the lonely Hours,
And Tears descend on Tears in constant Show'rs:
Then not the costly Cov'rings of the Bed,
With Studs of Gold, and rough Embroid'ry spread;
Nor drowsy Waterfals can then compose
The watchful Eye-lids to a soft Repose.
Strange Fool to tempt the Camp and dang'rous Arms!
13
And teach the proud Cilicians how to yield:
His labour'd Vests, with rich Embroid'ry wear,
And press the manag'd Steed conspicuous from afar.
Let me my Life with lovely Delia lead,
And on the quiet Hills my Cattle feed;
There close encircling thee with fond Embrace,
Take Noon-tide Slumbers on the easie Grass.
When Love's averse, what Quiet can afford
The Purple Couch to its distracted Lord?
When Midnight Fears disturb the lonely Hours,
And Tears descend on Tears in constant Show'rs:
Then not the costly Cov'rings of the Bed,
With Studs of Gold, and rough Embroid'ry spread;
Nor drowsy Waterfals can then compose
The watchful Eye-lids to a soft Repose.
Have I with daring Insolence profan'd
Great Venus, or her mighty Pow'r disdain'd;
That thus severely she repays the Wrong,
And takes Revenge upon my impious Tongue?
Or madly injur'd any Pow'r Divine,
Rifling the Garlands from the sacred Shrine?
I'd readily appease their Deities,
And wear the Pavement with my suppliant Knees;
With prostrate Veneration press the Floors,
And kiss the hallow'd Marble of the Doors.
Great Venus, or her mighty Pow'r disdain'd;
14
And takes Revenge upon my impious Tongue?
Or madly injur'd any Pow'r Divine,
Rifling the Garlands from the sacred Shrine?
I'd readily appease their Deities,
And wear the Pavement with my suppliant Knees;
With prostrate Veneration press the Floors,
And kiss the hallow'd Marble of the Doors.
But you who laugh at all my Woes beware;
Look to your self, and dread an equal Share:
For the same God his Fury will asswage,
I shall grow cold, when you begin to rage.
Oft have I seen the Man, whose scornful Pride
Did once the suppliant Lover's Woes deride:
When Old, gay Thoughts of Courtship entertain,
And bend his stubborn Neck to Venus Chain.
With wither'd Throat soft tender Talk prepare,
And hide the Gray Discov'ries of his Hair;
With shameless Impudence pursue th' Amour,
Lurking and faunt'ring at the fair One's Door:
Watch for the Servant Maid, and stop her Walk
Before the Gate, to keep her there in Talk;
Whilst round him all the Youth repair and scoff,
Spitting to keep the Fascination off.
Look to your self, and dread an equal Share:
For the same God his Fury will asswage,
I shall grow cold, when you begin to rage.
Oft have I seen the Man, whose scornful Pride
Did once the suppliant Lover's Woes deride:
When Old, gay Thoughts of Courtship entertain,
And bend his stubborn Neck to Venus Chain.
With wither'd Throat soft tender Talk prepare,
And hide the Gray Discov'ries of his Hair;
15
Lurking and faunt'ring at the fair One's Door:
Watch for the Servant Maid, and stop her Walk
Before the Gate, to keep her there in Talk;
Whilst round him all the Youth repair and scoff,
Spitting to keep the Fascination off.
But thou, O Venus, spare! thou Pow'r Divine!
To thee devoted is this Breast of mine;
Why wilt thou burn the Off'ring that is thine?
To thee devoted is this Breast of mine;
Why wilt thou burn the Off'ring that is thine?
| The Works of Tibullus | |