Publius Ovidius Naso, Amores 1.9.1-14

Ovid tells his friend Atticus that lovers are to their puellae as soldiers are to their general, and proceeds to show similarities.

 

Tier 1

omnis amator est miles, et Cupido habet sua castra; Attice, crede mihi, omnis amator est miles.

 

anni qui apti sunt bello quoque Veneri convenit. est malum esse senex miles, et est malum esse senex amator.

 

formosa puella petit in viro hos animos quos duces voluerunt in militi forti.

 

et amator puellae et miles ducis per noctem non dormit; et amator puellae et miles ducis in terra dormit - ille amator protegit ianuam dominae, sed ille miles protegit ianuam ducis.

 

officium militis est longa via; si mittis puellam, amator eam sequetur sine fine.

 

amator ibit in adversos montes et flumina quae nimbus alta facit, ille amator exteret congestas nives,

 

nec amator, navigaturus mare, accusabit turgidos Euros nec quaeret sidera apta navigando. id est, amator non expectabit bonum tempus ad navigandum.

Written by Robert Amstutz

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