A Poetical Translation of the elegies of Tibullus and of the poems of Sulpicia. With The Original Text, and Notes Critical and Explanatory. In two volumes. By James Grainger |
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| 10. | THE TENTH ELEGY.
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 | A Poetical Translation of the elegies of Tibullus |  |
139
THE TENTH ELEGY.
[Why did you swear by all the Powers above?]
Why did you swear by all the Powers above?
Yet never meant to crown my longing Love.
Wretch, tho' at first the perjur'd Deed you hide,
Wrath comes with certain, tho' with tardy Stride;
Yet, yet, offended Gods, my Charmer spare!
Yet pardon the first Fault of one so fair!
Yet never meant to crown my longing Love.
Wretch, tho' at first the perjur'd Deed you hide,
Wrath comes with certain, tho' with tardy Stride;
Yet, yet, offended Gods, my Charmer spare!
Yet pardon the first Fault of one so fair!
For Gold the careful Farmer ploughs the Plain,
And joins his Oxen to the cumbrous Wane;
For Gold, thro' Seas that stormy Winds obey,
By Stars, the Sailor steers his watery Way.
Yet, gracious Gods, this Gold from Man remove,
That wicked Metal brib'd the Fair I love.
And joins his Oxen to the cumbrous Wane;
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By Stars, the Sailor steers his watery Way.
Yet, gracious Gods, this Gold from Man remove,
That wicked Metal brib'd the Fair I love.
Soon shall you suffer greatly for your Crime,
A weary Wanderer in a foreign Clime;
Your Hair shall change, and boasted Bloom decay,
By wintery Tempests, and the solar Ray.
A weary Wanderer in a foreign Clime;
Your Hair shall change, and boasted Bloom decay,
By wintery Tempests, and the solar Ray.
“Beware of Gold, how oft did I advise?
“From tempting Gold what mighty Mischiefs rise?
“Love's generous Power, I said, with ten-fold Pain
“The Wretch will rack, who sells her Charms for Gain.
“Let Torture all her Cruelties exert,
“Torture is Pastime to a venal Heart.
“From tempting Gold what mighty Mischiefs rise?
“Love's generous Power, I said, with ten-fold Pain
“The Wretch will rack, who sells her Charms for Gain.
“Let Torture all her Cruelties exert,
“Torture is Pastime to a venal Heart.
“Nor idly dream your Gallantries to hide,
“The Gods are ever on the Sufferer's Side.
“With Sleep or Wine o'ercome, so Fate ordains,
“You'll blab the Secret of your impious Gains.”
“The Gods are ever on the Sufferer's Side.
143
“You'll blab the Secret of your impious Gains.”
Thus oft I warn'd you; this augments my Shame;
My Sighs, Tears, Homage, henceforth I disclaim.
My Sighs, Tears, Homage, henceforth I disclaim.
“No Wealth shall bribe my Constancy, you swore,
“Be mine the Bard, you sigh'd, I crave no more:
“Not all Campania shall my Heart intice,
“For thee Campania's Autumns I despise.
“Let Bacchus in Falernian Vineyards stray,
“Not Bacchus' Vineyards shall my Faith betray.”
“Be mine the Bard, you sigh'd, I crave no more:
“Not all Campania shall my Heart intice,
“For thee Campania's Autumns I despise.
“Let Bacchus in Falernian Vineyards stray,
“Not Bacchus' Vineyards shall my Faith betray.”
Such strong Professions, in so soft a Strain,
Might well deceive a captivated Swain;
Such strong Professions might Aversion charm,
Slow Doubt determine, and Indifference warm.
Nay more, you wept, unpractis'd to betray,
I kiss'd your Cheeks, and wip'd the Tears away.
Might well deceive a captivated Swain;
Such strong Professions might Aversion charm,
Slow Doubt determine, and Indifference warm.
145
I kiss'd your Cheeks, and wip'd the Tears away.
But if I tempting Gold unjustly blame,
And you have left me for another Flame;
May he, like you, seem kind, like you deceive,
And O may you, like cheated me, believe.
And you have left me for another Flame;
May he, like you, seem kind, like you deceive,
And O may you, like cheated me, believe.
Oft I by Night the Torch myself would bear,
That none our tender Converse might o'er-hear;
When least expected, oft some Youth I led,
A Youth all Beauty, to the genial Bed,
And tutor'd him your Conquest to complete,
By soft Enticements, and a fond Deceit.
That none our tender Converse might o'er-hear;
When least expected, oft some Youth I led,
A Youth all Beauty, to the genial Bed,
And tutor'd him your Conquest to complete,
By soft Enticements, and a fond Deceit.
By these I foolish hop'd to gain your Love!
Who than Tibullus could more cautious prove?
Fir'd with uncommon Powers I swept the Lyre,
And sent you melting Strains of soft Desire:
The Thought o'erspreads my Face with conscious Shame,
Doom, doom them Victims to the Seas or Flame.
No Verse be their's, who Love's soft Fires profane,
And sell inestimable Joys for Gain.
Who than Tibullus could more cautious prove?
Fir'd with uncommon Powers I swept the Lyre,
And sent you melting Strains of soft Desire:
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Doom, doom them Victims to the Seas or Flame.
No Verse be their's, who Love's soft Fires profane,
And sell inestimable Joys for Gain.
But you who first the lovely Maid decoy'd,
By each Adulterer be your Wife enjoy'd.
And when each Youth has rifled all her Charms,
May Bed-gowns guard her from your loathed Arms!
May she, O may she like your Sister prove,
As fam'd for drinking, far more fam'd for Love!
'Tis true, the Bottle is her chief Delight,
She knows no better Way to pass the Night;
Your Wife more knowing can the Night improve,
To Joys of Bacchus joins the Joys of Love.
By each Adulterer be your Wife enjoy'd.
And when each Youth has rifled all her Charms,
May Bed-gowns guard her from your loathed Arms!
May she, O may she like your Sister prove,
As fam'd for drinking, far more fam'd for Love!
'Tis true, the Bottle is her chief Delight,
She knows no better Way to pass the Night;
Your Wife more knowing can the Night improve,
To Joys of Bacchus joins the Joys of Love.
Think'st thou for thee, the Toilette is her Care?
For thee, that Fillets bind her well-dress'd Hair?
For thee, that Tyrian Robes her Charms enfold?
For thee, her Arms are deck'd with burnish'd Gold?
By these, some Youth the Wanton would intice,
For him she dresses, and for him she sighs;
To him she prostitutes, unaw'd by Shame,
Your House, your Pocket, and your injur'd Fame:
Nor blame her Conduct, say, ye Young, what Charms
Can Beauty taste in Gout and Age's Arms?
For thee, that Fillets bind her well-dress'd Hair?
149
For thee, her Arms are deck'd with burnish'd Gold?
By these, some Youth the Wanton would intice,
For him she dresses, and for him she sighs;
To him she prostitutes, unaw'd by Shame,
Your House, your Pocket, and your injur'd Fame:
Nor blame her Conduct, say, ye Young, what Charms
Can Beauty taste in Gout and Age's Arms?
Less nice my Fair one, she for Money can
Caress a gouty impotent old Man;
O thou by generous Love, too justly blam'd!
All, all that Love could give, my Passion claim'd.
Yet since thou couldst so mercenary prove,
The more deserving shall engross my Love;
Then thou wilt weep when these ador'd you see;
Weep on, thy Tears will Transport give to me.
To Venus I'll suspend a golden Shield,
With this Inscription grav'd upon the Field.
Caress a gouty impotent old Man;
O thou by generous Love, too justly blam'd!
All, all that Love could give, my Passion claim'd.
Yet since thou couldst so mercenary prove,
The more deserving shall engross my Love;
Then thou wilt weep when these ador'd you see;
Weep on, thy Tears will Transport give to me.
To Venus I'll suspend a golden Shield,
With this Inscription grav'd upon the Field.
“Tibullus, freed at last from amorous Woes,
“This Offering, Queen of Bliss, on thee bestows:
“And humbly begs, that henceforth thou wilt guard
“From such a Passion, thy devoted Bard.”
“This Offering, Queen of Bliss, on thee bestows:
“And humbly begs, that henceforth thou wilt guard
“From such a Passion, thy devoted Bard.”
| A Poetical Translation of the elegies of Tibullus | |