Thus Phoebus recommended; observe this recommendation of Phoebus. There is full confidence in the hallowed lips of this Divinity. I am now called to my more immediate subject: whoever shall love with prudence, he will prove successful, and will obtain from my skill what he shall require. The furrows do not always return with interest that which has been entrusted to them; nor does the breeze always aid the veering barks. What pleases lovers, is but a little: 'tis much more that crosses them; let them resolve to endure many things with their feelings. As many as are the hares on Athos; [961] as the bees that feed on Hybla; [962] as the berries which the azure-coloured tree of Pallas bears; as the shells on the sea-shore; so many are the pangs of love; the shafts which we endure are reeking with plenteous gall.
She, whom perchance you shall see, will be said to have gone out of doors; believe that she is gone out of doors, and that you make a mistake in your seeing. Is the door shut against you on the appointed night; endure even to lay your body on the dirty ground. Perhaps, too, the lying maid will say with a haughty air, "Why is that fellow blocking up our door?" Suppliantly entreat even the door-posts of the obdurate fair; and place at the door the roses that have been taken from off your head. [963] Come when she desires it; when she shall shun you, you'll go away. It is not becoming for men of good breeding to cause weariness of their company. Why should your mistress be able to say of you, "There is no getting rid of this man?" The senses [964] are not on the alert at all hours. And deem it no disgrace to put up with the curses of the fair one, or her blows, nor yet to give kisses to her delicate feet.
But why dwell upon trifles? Let my mind be occupied with greater subjects. Of great matters will I sing; people, give all attention. I attempt an arduous task, but merit there is none, but what is secured by arduous means. By my undertaking are laborious attempts required. Endure a rival with patience; the victory will rest with yourself; you will be the conqueror on the heights of mighty Jove. [965] Believe that not a mortal tells you this, but the Pelasgian oaks of Dodona: my skill has nothing superior to this to teach you. Does she make a sign to him, do you put up with it; does she write, don't you touch the tablets; let her come from whatever place she likes; and wherever she chooses, let her go. This do husbands allow to their lawful wives; even, too, when thou, gentle sleep, [966] dost come to thy duty. I confess, that in this art I myself am not yet perfect. What must I do? I am myself unequal to my own precepts. And is any one in my presence to be making signs to my mistress? And am I to endure it? And is not my anger to hurry me away to any extreme? Her own husband [967] (I remember it well) gave her a kiss; I complained of kisses being given; my love is brimful of fierceness. Not once alone has this failing proved an injury to me; he is more skilful, by whose encouragement other men visit [968] his mistress. But 'tis still better to know nothing of it. Allow stealthy intrigues to lie concealed, lest the blush of confession should fly in future from her countenance when detected.
With greater reason then, ye youths, forbear to detect your mistresses. Let them be guilty; and guilty, let them suppose that they have deceived you. When detected, the passion increases; when the fortune of the two is the same, each persists in the cause of the disgrace. There is a story told, very well known in all the heavens, how Mars and Venus [969] were caught by the contrivance of Mulciber. Father Mars, distracted by a frantic passion for Venus, from a terrible warrior, became a lover. Neither did Venus (for, indeed, no Goddess is there more kind) proved coy or stubborn to Gradivus. O how many a time is she said, in her wantonness, to have laughed at the feet of her husband, and at his hands, hardened with the fire or his handicraft. In the presence of Mars, mocking him, she imitated her husband, and she was beauteous even while so doing; and many a grace was there combined with her charms. But they were in the habit of skilfully concealing their early intercourse; and their frailty was replete with modest propriety. Through the information of the Sun (who is there that can deceive the Sun?), the actions of his wife became known to Vulcan. Thou Sun, what a bad example thou art setting! Ask a bribe of her; and shouldst thou hold thy tongue, she has a favour which she may grant to thee.
Around and above the bed, Muleiber disposes the hidden toils; the work, by its fineness, escapes their eyes. He pretends a journey to Lemnos; the lovers come, according to the appointment; entangled in the toils, they both lie naked. He calls the Gods together; the captives afford a spectacle. People believe that Venus could hardly restrain her tears. They cannot conceal their faces; they cannot, in fact, veil their modesty with their hands. Upon this, one says, laughing, [970] "Transfer to me thy chains, most valiant Mavors, if they are a burden to thee." With difficulty, Neptune, at thy entreaty, does he release their captured bodies. Mars makes for Thrace, [971] and she for Paphos. [972] This, Vulcan, was done by thee; what before they used to conceal, they now do more openly, since all modesty is gone. Yet often, foolish one, dost thou confess that thou didst act unwisely; and they say that thou hast repented of thy wrath. This I have already forbidden: lo! Dione forbids you to suffer that detection which she herself endured. And do you arrange no toils for your rival; and intercept no words written by the hand in secret. Let the men seek for those, (if, indeed, they think they ought to be sought for) whom the fire and water render [973] lawful husbands.
Behold! again do I protest; no sportive subject is here treated of, but what is permitted by the laws; there is no matron concerned with my sallies. [974] Who would dare to publish to the profane the rites of Ceres, [975] and the great mysteries that were established in the Thracian Samos? 'Tis a small merit to hold one's silence upon matters; but, on the other hand, 'tis a grievous fault to speak of things on which we should be silent. O justly does it happen, that the blabbing Tantalus is thirsting in the midst of the water, the apples on the tree being caught at by him in vain! Cytherea especially bids her rites to be concealed. I recommend no talkative person to approach them.
If the mysteries of Venus are not enclosed in chests, [976] and the hollow cymbals do not resound with frantic blows; although among ourselves they are celebrated by universal custom, yet it is in such a manner that among us they demand concealment. Venus herself, as oft as she lays her garments aside, conceals her groin with the left hand, [977] a little bent back. The cattle couple in public and promiscuously; even when this is seen, full oft the fair one turns away her face. Chambers and doors are provided for our stealthy dalliance; and our nakedness lies concealed by garments placed over it. And if we do not require darkness, still we do something of a retired shade, and something less exposed than open day. In those times, even, when tiles did not as yet keep out the sun and the shower, but the oak was affording both shelter and food; in the groves and caves, and not in the open air, were shared the delights of love. So great was the regard for modesty, even in a savage race. But now-a-days we give praises to the exploits of the night; and nothing beyond the power of talking of it, is purchased at a heavy price. [978] You will, for sooth, be discussing all the damsels in every quarter, that you may say to every person, "She, too, has been mine," that none may be wanting for you to point at with your fingers; and as you touch upon each, there will be a scandalous tale. But I am complaining of trifles; some pretend things, which, if true, they would deny, and not declare that there is not a woman from whom they have not received the last favour. If they cannot meddle with their persons, so far as they can, they meddle with their names; and, their persons untouched, their reputation bears the blame.
Go now, odious keeper, and shut the doors of the fair: and add to the solid door-posts a hundred bars. What safety is there, while the defiler of character exists, and desires to be thought that he is that which it has not proved his lot to be? Even my real amours I confess but with reserve, and my secret intrigues are concealed with sure fidelity. Especially forbear to censure the blemishes of the fair; to many it has proved of advantage to conceal them. Her complexion was not made an objection against Andromeda by him, on whose two feet were the waving wings. [979] To all others Andromache seemed of larger stature [980] than was becoming; Hector was the only one who called her of moderate size. What you endure with impatience, accustom yourself to; and you will endure it with patience. Length of time makes many things endurable; but a rising passion catches sight of everything. While the young branch is uniting within the green bark, [981] whatever breeze shakes it while now tender, it falls. Soon, hardened in time, the same tree will stoutly resist the winds, and bear the adopted fruit.
Time itself removes all blemishes from the person; and what was a fault, in lapse of time ceases so to be. The nostrils that are unaccustomed to it, are not able to endure the hides of bulls; the odour is not perceived by those that have been rendered used to it in length of time. We may palliate faults by names; let her be called swarthy, whose blood is blacker than the pitch of Illyria. If she has a cast in the eyes, she is like Venus: if yellow haired, like Minerva. She that is only half alive through her leanness, let her be grace ful. Whatever woman is small, say that she is active; her that is gross, call plump; and let each fault lie concealed in its proximity to some good quality.
And don't you enquire what year she is now passing, nor under what Consulship [982] she was born; a privilege which the rigid Censor [983] possesses. And this, especially, if she has passed the bloom of youth, and her best years [984] are fled, and she now pulls out the whitening hairs. This age, O youths, or even one more advanced, has its advantages; this soil will produce its crops, this is worth the sowing. While strength and years permit, endure labour; soon will bending old age come with silent foot. Either cleave the ocean with the oars, or the earth with the plough; or turn your warlike hands to cruel arms; or devote your strength and your attention to the fair. This, too, is a kind of warfare; [985] this, too, seeks its advantages. Besides, in these [986] there is a greater acquaintance with their subject; and there is long practice, which alone renders skilful. By attention to dress they repair the ravages of years; and by carefulness they cause themselves not to appear aged.