Amours
- 1.4.77
He locks you in, I follow to the door,
- 1.4.78
His fortune envy, and my own deplore;
- 1.4.79
He kisses you, he more than kisses too,
- 1.4.80
Th' outrageous cuckold thinks it all his due.
- 1.4.81
But add not to his joy by your consent,
- 1.4.82
And let it not be given, but only lent;
- 1.4.83
Return no kiss, nor move in any sort,
- 1.4.84
Make it a dull and a malignant sport.
- 1.4.85
Had I my wish he should no pleasure take,
- 1.4.86
But slubber o'er your bus'ness for my sake;
- 1.4.87
And whate'er fortune shall this night befall,
- 1.4.88
Coax me to morrow by forswearing all.
- 1.5.1
'Twas noon when I, scorch'd with the double fire
- 1.5.2
Of the hot sun and my more hot desire,
- 1.5.3
Stretch'd on my downy couch at ease was laid,
- 1.5.4
Big with expectance of the lovely maid.
- 1.5.5
The curtains but half drawn, a light let in
- 1.5.6
Such as in shades of thickest groves is seen,
- 1.5.7
Such as remains when the sun flies away,
- 1.5.8
Or when night's gone, and yet it is not day.
- 1.5.9
This light to modest maids must be allow'd,
- 1.5.10
Where shame may hope its guilty head to shroud.
- 1.5.11
And now my love Corinna did appear,
- 1.5.12
Loose on her neck fell her divided hair;
- 1.5.13
Loose as her flowing gown, that wanton'd in the air.
- 1.5.14
In such a garb, with such a grace and mien,
- 1.5.15
To her rich bed came the Assyrian queen;
- 1.5.16
So Lais looked when all the youth of Greece
- 1.5.17
With adoration did her charms confess.
- 1.5.18
Her envious gown to pull away I tried,
- 1.5.19
But she resisted still, and still denied;
- 1.5.20
But so resisted that she seem'd to be
- 1.5.21
Unwilling to obtain the victory;
- 1.5.22
So I at last an easy conquest had,
- 1.5.23
Whilst my fair combatant herself betray'd.
- 1.5.24
But when she naked stood before my eyes,
- 1.5.25
Gods, with what charms did she my soul surprise!
- 1.5.26
What snowy arms did I both see and feel!
- 1.5.27
With what rich globes did her soft bosom swell!
- 1.5.28
Plump as ripe clusters rose each glowing breast,
- 1.5.29
Courting the hand, and suing to be press'd!
- 1.5.30
What a smooth plain was on her belly spread,
- 1.5.31
Where thousand little loves and graces play'd!
- 1.5.32
What thighs! what legs ! but why strive I in vain,
- 1.5.33
Each limb, each grace, each feature to explain
- 1.5.34
One beauty did through her whole body shine;
- 1.5.35
I saw, admir'd, and press'd it close to mine
- 1.5.36
The rest who knows not? Thus entranc'd we lay,
- 1.5.37
Till in each other's arms we died away;
- 1.5.38
0 give me such a noon, ye gods, to ev'ry day!
- 1.6.1
Slave, if thou worthy of thy chains wouldst be,
- 1.6.2
A grateful office do to love and me.
- 1.6.3
Unbar the wicket, and a friend admit;
- 1.6.4
The trouble is not much, nor favour great.
- 1.6.5
I ask thee not to spread the foldings wide;
- 1.6.6
Keep it at jar,-I'll softly by thee slide.
- 1.6.7
I to love's labours have so long been us'd,
- 1.6.8
My shapes are to a lath's lank size reduc'd.
- 1.6.9
The smallest crevice will my bus'ness do,
- 1.6.10
It cannot be so straight but I'll slip through.
- 1.6.11
Love guides me when by night I walk the street,
- 1.6.12
And when I grope my way directs my feet.
- 1.6.13
By night I was a youth afraid to walk,
- 1.6.14
Frighted by children and old nurses' talk;
- 1.6.15
I wonder'd men could wander in the gloom,
- 1.6.16
And kept, for fear of spirits, close at home.
- 1.6.17
Love and his mother, when they knew my care,
- 1.6.18
Cried, "Fool, thou shalt not long these phantoms fear."
- 1.6.19
Nor fear'd I long, for love my heart possess'd;
- 1.6.20
Those visions vanish'd, and my terrors ceas'd:
- 1.6.21
Nor ghosts nor scourers did I dread, but stroll'd
- 1.6.22
The streets a-nights, and grew in peril bold.
- 1.6.23
Thee only do I fear, and trembling stand
- 1.6.24
To wait the motions of thy tardy hand:
- 1.6.25
With soft request thy succour I implore,
- 1.6.26
Nor sue to Jove nor dread the Thund'rer more.
- 1.6.27
See how the gate is moistened with my tears!
- 1.6.28
What marks of my impatient love it bears!
- 1.6.29
Remember, when thou for the lash wert stripp'd
- 1.6.30
Who sav'd thee, at whose suit thou wert not whipp'd.
- 1.6.31
Did not I sooth thy angry lady's mind,
- 1.6.32
And make thy peace? Be thou to me as kind.
- 1.6.33
Think what soft things to move her soul I said,
- 1.6.34
And let them in a lover's favour plead.
- 1.6.35
But ah! the tender things that made her kind,
- 1.6.36
Work no such wonders on thy cruel mind.
- 1.6.37
Wouldst thou my friendly offices repay,
- 1.6.38
Fate throws a fair occasion in thy way;
- 1.6.39
Unlock the gate, the morning will not stay.
- 1.6.40
Unlock the gate; and as thou'rt kind to me,
- 1.6.41
So may thy gentle lady prove to thee;
- 1.6.42
May she to loose thy hateful chains incline,
- 1.6.43
And stead of water, be thy portion wine.
- 1.6.44
But what avail my soothing words? Thy ear
- 1.6.45
Is deaf, inhuman! to my moving pray'r.
- 1.6.46
Your gates with posts of pond'rous oak are barr'd,
- 1.6.47
As if your house was for a siege prepar'd;
- 1.6.48
Why all this fence? what foe have you to fear?
- 1.6.49
And why in peace do you provide for war?
- 1.6.50
Thus rudely if your lady's friends you treat,
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Perseus Latin. CTS URN phi0959.phi001.perseus-eng2. Via the Perseus Digital Library / Open Greek and Latin TEI corpora. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0. Source.