Publius Ovidius Naso, Amores 1.9.15-30

Ovid continues the comparison of soldiers and lovers. Throughout this section he demonstrates how much each has in common.

 

Tier 1

et miles et amator perferunt et frigidas noctes et nives.

 

alter (miles) mittitur in infestos hostes ut investiget; alter tenet oculos suos in rivale ut hoste.

 

ille miles graves urbes petit, ille amator ianuam durae amicae petit; hic portas urbis frangit, sed ille ianuam dominae frangit.

 

saepe profuit invadere hostes dormientes et interficere homines, qui arma non habet, armis.

 

sic feroces milites Threicii Rhesi ceciderunt, et vos capti equi, vos deseruistis dominum (Rhesus).

 

certe amatores utuntur somnis virorum, et movent sua arma hostibus dormientibus.

 

semper labor est militis et miseri amatoris transire cohortes custodum et turbam vigilum.

 

Mars est dubius et Venus incerta est; et victi iterum surgunt, et ii, quos tu neges posse mortuum esse, cadunt.

Written by Robert Amstutz

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