Delphi Complete Works of Tibullus

by Tibullus

  uel bene sit notus, summo uel inerret in ore,

  nulla mihi statuunt finem te fata canendi.

  Quin etiam mea tunc tumulus cum texerit ossa,

  seu matura dies celerem properat mihi mortem, 205

  longa manet seu uita, tamen, mutata figura

  seu me finget equum rigidos percurrere campos

  doctum seu tardi pecoris sim gloria taurus

  siue ego per liquidum uolucris uehar aera pennis,

  quandocumque hominem me longa receperit aetas, 210

  inceptis de te subtexam carmina chartis.

  De Sulpici Incerti Auctoris Elegiae

  190 But though harder times befall and I be stripped of what is left me, my Muse will not fail to tell of thee. Nor shall Pierian homage only be accorded thee. For thee I would venture over the rushing billows of the sea, though the stormy friths swelled with hostile winds; for thee I would await alone the serried squadrons’ charge or commit this poor body to the flames of Aetna. All that I am is thine. If thou have but a little thought of me, however small it is, if thou do but have it, neither Lydia’s monarchy nor the renown of great Gylippus would be more to me, nor would I choose rather to surpass the writings of the son of Meles. But if my verse, whether all of it or less, shall be well known to thee or else but cross thy lips, the Fates shall set no bounds to my singing of thee. Nay, more even then when the grave has covered my bones, whether the appointed day haste betimes to bring me a speedy end or a long life awaits me, whether a change of shape shall make me a horse that is trained to scour the unyielding plains or I am a bull, the pride of the slow herd, or a bird, borne on wings through the flowing air, none the less, when lapse of ages receives me back among mankind, will I weave verse to append to the pages I had begun to write on thee.

  VIII

  SULPICIA’S GARLAND

  To Sulpicia on the First of March

  Sulpicia est tibi culta tuis, Mars magne, kalendis;

  spectatum e caelo, si sapis, ipse ueni;

  hoc Venus ignoscet; at tu, uiolente, caueto

  ne tibi miranti turpiter arma cadant:

  illius ex oculis, cum uult exurere diuos, 5

  accendit geminas lampadas acer Amor.

  Illam, quidquid agit, quoquo uestigia mouit,

  componit furtim subsequiturque Decor;

  seu soluit crines, fusis decet esse capillis:

  seu composit, comptis est ueneranda comis. 10

  Vrit, seu Tyria uoluit procedere palla:

  urit, seu niuea candida ueste uenit.

  Talis in aeterno felix Vertumnus Olympo

  mille habet ornatus, mille decenter habet.

  Sola puellarum digna est cui mollia caris 15

  uellera det sucis bis madefacta Tyros,

  possideatque, metit quidquid bene olentibus aruis

  cultor odoratae diues Arabs segetis,

  et quascumque niger rubro de litore gemmas

  proximus Eois colligit Indus aquis. 20

  Hanc uos, Pierides, festis cantate kalendis,

  et testudinea Phoebe superbe lyra.

  Hoc sollemne sacrum multos haec sumet in annos:

  dignior est uestro nulla puella choro.

  1 Great Mars, it is thy Calends, and Sulpicia is dressed for thee. Come thyself, if thou hast wit, from heaven to see her. Venus will pardon this ; but thou, rough god, have a care lest to thy shame thy arms drop from thy wondering hold. From her eyes, when he would burn the gods amain, doth fierce Love kindle his torches twin. Whatsoever she does, whithersoever she turns her steps; Grace follows her unseen to order all aright. Hath she loosed her hair? Then flowing locks become her. Hath she dressed it? With dressed hair she is divine. She fires the heart if she chooses to appear in gown of Tyrian hue; she fires it if she comes in the sheen of snowy robes. Like her, on everlasting Olympus, bounteous Vertumnus wears a thousand garbs, and wears with grace the thousand. Of all maids only she deserves to receive from Tyre soft wool twice drenched in costly juice, that hers should be all that the rich Arab, tiller of the perfumed field, reaps from his fragrant lands; yea, all the pearls that the swart Indian, hard by the waters of the Dawn, picks from the red seas’ shores. Sing of her on the festal Calends, ye Pierian nymphs, and thou too, Phoebus, proud of thy tortoise lyre. This rite recurring shall be hers for many a year. No maid is worthier of the favours of your quire.

  IX

  To Cerinthus at the Chase

  Parce meo iuueni, seu quis bona pascua campi

  seu colis umbrosi deuia montis aper,

  neu tibi sit duros acuisse in proelia dentes;

  incolumem custos hunc mihi seruet Amor.

  Sed procul abducit uenandi Delia cura: 5

  o pereant siluae deficiantque canes!

  Quis furor est, quae mens, densos indagine colles

  claudentem teneras laedere uelle manus?

  Quidue iuuat furtim latebras intrare ferarum

  candidaque hamatis crura notare rubis? 10

  Sed tamen, ut tecum liceat, Cerinthe, uagari,

  ipsa ego per montes retia torta feram,

  ipsa ego uelocis quaeram uestigia cerui

  et demam celeri ferrea uincla cani.

  Tunc mihi, tunc placeant siluae, si, lux mea, tecum 15

  arguar ante ipsas concubuisse plagas:

  tunc ueniat licet ad casses, inlaesus abibit,

  ne ueneris cupidae gaudia turbet, aper.

  Nunc sine me sit nulla Venus, sed lege Dianae,

  caste puer, casta retia tange manu: 20

  et, quaecumque meo furtim subrepit amori,

  incidat in saeuas diripienda feras.

  At tu uenandi studium concede parenti,

  et celer in nostros ipse recurre sinus.

  1 BOAR, spare the youth I love, whether thy haunt is the plain’s fair pastures or the deep woodland of the hills, nor think it thy part to whet thy hard tusks for the fray. Let Love be his guard and keep him safe for me.... But the dame of Delos draws him far away with love of venery. Oh that woods might wither and dogs be extinct! How mad, how senseless is this whim to hurt soft hands, setting the tinchel round the thick-clad hills! What pleasure is it to steal into the lairs of wild beasts and to score thy white legs with the bramble’s barbs? Yet still, Cerinthus, so I may share thy roamings, I will myself carry the twisted nets across the fells, myself follow the tracks of the fleet deer and undo the iron collar of the rushing hound. Then, then would forests please me when it can be shown I have been in thy arms, my love, beside the very toils. Then, though the wild boar come up to the nets, he shall depart unharmed lest he break the joys of eager love. But now without me let there be no loving; but, lad, be chaste, and lay chaste hands upon the nets as Diana’s rule enjoins, and let any she that creeps by stealth into my place of love fall among savage wild beasts and be torn piecemeal. But do thou leave the love of hunting to thy sire and haste back quickly to my arms.

  X

  Sulpicia Sick

  Huc ades et tenerae morbos expelle puellae,

  huc ades, intonsa Phoebe superbe coma;

  crede mihi, propera, nec te iam, Phoebe, pigebit

  formosae medicas applicuisse manus.

  Effice ne macies pallentes occupet artus, 5

  neu notet informis candida membra color,

  et quodcumque mali est et quidquid triste timemus,

  in pelagus rapidis euehat amnis aquis.

  Sancte, ueni, tecumque feras, quicumque sapores,

  quicumque et cantus corpora fessa leuant; 10

  neu iuuenem torque, metuit qui fata puellae

  uotaque pro domina uix numeranda facit;

  interdum uouet, interdum, quod langueat illa,

  dicit in aeternos aspera uerba deos.

  Pone metum, Cerinthe: deus non laedit amantes; 15

  tu modo semper ama: salua puella tibi est;

  nil opus est fletu: lacrimis erit aptius uti, 21

  si quando fuerit tristior illa tibi. 22

  At nunc tota tua est, te solum candida secum 17
r />   cogitat, et frustra credula turba sedet.

  Phoebe, faue: laus magna tibi tribuetur in uno

  corpore seruato restituisse duos. 20

  Iam celeber, iam laetus eris, cum debita reddet 23

  certatim sanctis laetus uterque focis;

  tunc te felicem dicet pia turba deorum, 25

  optabunt artes et sibi quisque tuas.

  1 COME hither and drive out the tender maid’s disease, come hither, Phoebus, with thy pride of unshorn hair. Hear me and hasten; and henceforth, Phoebus, thou shalt ne’er regret to have laid thy healing hands upon the fair. See to it that no wasting blight fall on the pallid form, nor disfiguring hue mark the feeble limbs. Yea, all the mischief, all the dread things we fear, let the rushing river-waters carry out into the main. Come, holy one, and bring with thee all essences, all chants that ease the body’s sickness. And torture not the youth who fears that the maid will die, and offers prayers, past counting, for his mistress. Sometimes he prays, sometimes in grief that she is sick he utters fierce words against the eternal gods. Put fear aside, Cerinthus. God harms not lovers. Do thou love ever, and thy girl is safe.

  No need for weeping. Then fitlier will thy tears flow if ever she is angered with thee. But now she is wholly thine. In the kind maid’s breast are only thoughts of thee, and a credulous company waits in vain upon her. Phoebus, be gracious. Great praise will be thy portion when by saving one life thou restorest two. Then famous and jubilant wilt thou be when in grateful rivalry both pay the debt they owe to thy holy altar. Then the company of good gods will call thee fortunate, and each desire thy own craft for himself.

  XI

  Cerinthus’ Birthday

  Qui mihi te, Cerinthe, dies dedit, hic mihi sanctus

  atque inter festos semper habendus erit:

  te nascente nouum Parcae cecinere puellis

  seruitium et dederunt regna superba tibi.

  Vror ego ante alias: iuuat hoc, Cerinthe, quod uror, 5

  si tibi de nobis mutuus ignis adest;

  mutuus adsit amor, per te dulcissima furta

  perque tuos oculos per Geniumque rogo.

  Mane Geni, cape tura libens uotisque faueto,

  si modo, cum de me cogitat, ille calet. 10

  Quod si forte alios iam nunc suspiret amores,

  tunc precor infidos, sancte, relinque focos.

  Nec tu sis iniusta, Venus: uel seruiat aeque

  uinctus uterque tibi uel mea uincla leua;

  sed potius ualida teneamur uterque catena, 15

  nulla queat posthac quam soluisse dies.

  Optat idem iuuenis quod nos, sed tectius optat:

  nam pudet haec illum dicere uerba palam.

  At tu, Natalis, quoniam deus omnia sentis,

  adnue: quid refert, clamne palamne roget? 20

  1 THIS day that made thee live for me, Cerinthus, shall be for me one to be hallowed always and set among the festivals. When thou wast born, the voices of the Fates proclaimed that now there was new slavery for woman, and bestowed proud sovereignty on thee. I burn more fiercely than them all, but joy, Cerinthus, in the burning, if within thy breast live fires caught from mine. May love like mine be thine, I pray thee, by our stolen raptures, by thine eyes and thy Birth-spirit. Great Genius, take this incense with a will, and smile upon my prayer, if only when he thinks on me his pulse beats high. But if perchance even now he sighs for another love, then, holy one, depart thou from that faithless altar. And, Venus, be not thou unjust; either let both alike be bound thy slaves or lift my shackles off. But rather let us both be bound, with a strong chain that no coming day can loose. The lad desires the same as I, but conceals his longing more; he is ashamed to say the words aloud. But thou, Birth-spirit, a god and knowing all things, grant the prayer. What matter if his suit be uttered or unspoken?

  XII

  Sulpicia’s Birthday

  Natalis Iuno, sanctos cape turis aceruos,

  quos tibi dat tenera docta puella manu;

  tota tibi est hodie, tibi se laetissima compsit,

  staret ut ante tuos conspicienda focos.

  Illa quidem ornandi causas tibi, diua, relegat; 5

  est tamen, occulte cui placuisse uelit.

  At tu, sancta, faue, neu quis diuellat amantes,

  sed iuueni, quaeso, mutua uincla para.

  Sic bene compones: ullae non ille puellae

  seruire aut cuiquam dignior illa uiro. 10

  Nec possit cupidos uigilans deprendere custos

  fallendique uias mille ministret Amor.

  Adnue purpureaque ueni perlucida palla:

  ter tibi fit libo, ter, dea casta, mero;

  praecipit et natae mater studiosa, quod optat: 15

  illa aliud tacita iam sua mente rogat;

  uritur, ut celeres urunt altaria flammae,

  nec, liceat quamuis, sana fuisse uelit.

  Sis iuueni grata ac, ueniet cum proximus annus,

  hic idem uotis iam uetus exstet amor. 20

  Sulpiciae Elegidia

  1 JUNO of the birthday, receive the holy piles of incense which the accomplished maid’s soft hand now offers thee. To-day she is thine wholly; most joyfully she has decked herself for thee, to stand before thy altar a sight for all to see. ’Tis in thee, goddess, she bids us find the reason for this apparelling. Yet there is one that in secret she desires to please. Then, hallowed one, be kind, and let none pluck apart the lovers: but forge, I prithee, like fetters for the youth. Thus shalt thou match them well. To no maid he, to no man she might fitlier be thrall. And may no watchful guard surprise their wooings, but Love suggest a thousand ways for his outwitting. Bow assent and come in all the sheen of purple palla. They are making offering to thee, holy goddess, thrice with cake and thrice with wine, and the mother eagerly enjoins upon her child what she must pray for. But she, now mistress of herself, sues for another thing in the silence of her heart. She burns as the altar burns with the darting flames, nor, even though she might, would she be whole. Be grateful, Juno, so that, when the next year comes, this love, now of long standing, may be there unchanged to meet their prayers.

  XIII

  SULPICIA

  On her Love

  Tandem uenit amor, qualem texisse pudori

  quam nudasse alicui sit mihi fama magis.

  Exorata meis illum Cytherea Camenis

  attulit in nostrum deposuitque sinum.

  Exsoluit promissa Venus: mea gaudia narret, 5

  dicetur si quis non habuisse sua.

  Non ego signatis quicquam mandare tabellis,

  ne legat id nemo quam meus ante, uelim,

  sed peccasse iuuat, uultus componere famae

  taedet: cum digno digna fuisse ferar. 10

  1 AT last has come a love which, Rumour, it would shame me more to hide than to disclose to any one. Won over by my Muse’s prayers, Cythera’s queen has brought and placed him in my arms. What Venus promised she hath fulfilled. Let my joys be told by all of whom ’tis said that they have missed their own. Never would I choose to entrust my messages to tablets under seal, that none might read my thoughts before my lover. Nay, I love my fault, and loathe to wear a mask for rumour. Let all hear that we have met, each worthy of the other.

  XIV

  Before her Birthday

  Inuisus natalis adest, qui rure molesto

  et sine Cerintho tristis agendus erit.

  Dulcius urbe quid est? An uilla sit apta puellae

  atque Arretino frigidus amnis agro?

  Iam, nimium Messalla mei studiose, quiescas; 5

  non tempestiuae saepe, propinque, uiae.

  Hic animum sensusque meos abducta relinquo

  arbitrio, quamuis non sinis esse, meo.

  1 MY hated birthday is at hand, to be kept all joylessly in the odious country and without Cerinthus. What is more pleasant than the town? Would a grange be fit place for a girl, or the chill river of Arretium and its fields? Rest now, Messalla, from thy excessive zeal for me. Journeys, my kinsman, are oft ill-timed. They take me away, but h
ere I leave my soul and heart, since force forbids my living mistress of myself.

  XV

  The Journey Abandoned

  Scis iter ex animo sublatum triste puellae?

  Natali Romae iam licet esse tuo.

  Omnibus ille dies nobis natalis agatur,

  qui nec opinanti nunc tibi forte uenit.

  1 DOST thou know that the burden of that journey is lifted from thy girl’s heart? Now she can be at Rome upon her birthday. Let us all, then, keep that day [with gladness], which comes to thee this time by unexpected chance.

  XVI

  Cerinthus Unfaithful

  Gratum est, securus multum quod iam tibi de me

  permittis, subito ne male inepta cadam.

  Sit tibi cura togae potior pressumque quasillo

  scortum quam Serui filia Sulpicia:

  solliciti sunt pro nobis, quibus illa dolori est 5

  ne cedam ignoto maxima causa toro.

  1 IT is a pleasant thought that now in thy unconcern thou dost allow thyself so much at my expense, that I may not trip in some unhappy fit of folly. For thee toga and strumpet loaded with wool-basket may be worthier of thy preference than Sulpicia, Servius’ daughter. But they are distressed in my behalf, to whom this is the greatest cause of pain, that I may yield my place to an ignoble rival.

  XVII

  From her Sick-bed

  Estne tibi, Cerinthe, tuae pia cura puellae,

  quod mea nunc uexat corpora fessa calor?

  A ego non aliter tristes euincere morbos

  optarim, quam te si quoque uelle putem.

  At mihi quid prosit morbos euincere, si tu 5

  nostra potes lento pectore ferre mala?

  1 CERINTHUS, hast thou any tender thought for thine own girl, now that fever racks her feeble frame? Ah, I would not pray to triumph over the drear disease if I thought not that thou wouldst wish it too. How should it profit me to master sickness if thou canst bear my troubles with a heart unmoved?

  XVIII

  An Apology

  Ne tibi sim, mea lux, aeque iam feruida cura

  ac uideor paucos ante fuisse dies,

  si quicquam tota commisi stulta iuuenta