With arms against the Amazons I have furnished the Greeks. Arms remain for me to present, Penthesilea, [1001] to thee and to thy squadrons. Go to the combat equally prepared; and may those prove the victors, whom genial Dione [1002] favours, and the Boy who flies over the whole world. It was not fair for the females unprotected to engage with the men in arms, and so it would have been disgraceful for you to conquer, ye men.
One of the multitude may say, "Why add venom to the serpent? And why deliver the sheep-fold to the ravening wolf? Forbear to lay the culpability of the few upon the many; and let each fair one be considered according to her own deserts. If the younger son of Atreus has Helen, and the elder son of Atreus [1003] has the sister of Helen, to charge with criminality, if the son of Oclus, [1004] through the wickedness of Eriphyle, daughter of Talaion, alive, and with living steeds, descended to Styx; there is Penelope constant, while her husband was wandering for twice five years, and for as many years engaged in war. Witness the hero from Phylace, [1005] and her who is said to have descended as the companion of her husband, and to have died before her destined years. The wife from Pagasæ redeemed the son of Pheres [1006] from death, and in place of [1007] the funeral of her husband, the wife was carried out. "Receive me, Capaneus; we will mingle our ashes," said the daughter of Iphis, and she leapt on the midst of the pile. Virtue, herself, too, is a female, both in dress and name. 'Tis not to be wondered at, if she favours her own sex.
But still, 'tis not such dispositions as these that are required by my art. Sails of less magnitude are befitting my skiff. [1008] Nothing but wanton dalliance is taught by me; in what manner a woman is to be loved, I purpose to teach. The woman repels neither the flames, nor the cruel bow; those weapons, I see, make less havoc among the men. Many a time do the men prove false; not often the charming fair; and, if you make inquiry, they have but few charges of fraud against them. Jason, the deceiver, repudiated the Phasian, when now a mother; and into the bosom of the son of Æson there came another bride. [1009] Ariadne, left alone in an unknown spot, had fed the sea-birds, so far, Theseus, as thou wast concerned. Enquire why she is said to have gone on her nine journies, [1010] and hear how the woods lamented Phyllis, their foliage laid aside. And Elissa, she has the credit of affection; and still, that guest of thine, Elissa, afforded both the sword and the cause for thy destruction. Shall I tell what it was that ruined thee? Thou didst not know how to love; thou wast wanting in skill; through skill, love flourishes for ever.
Even still would they have been ignorant, but Cytherea commanded me to instruct them, and stood, herself, before my eyes. Then to me she said, "Why have the unfortunate fair deserved this? An unarmed multitude is handed over to the men in arms. Two treatises [1011] have rendered them skilful; this side, as well, must be instructed by thy advice. He who before had uttered [1012] reproaches against the wife from Therapnæ, soon sang her praises to a more fortunate lyre. If well I know thee, injure not the fair whom thou dost adore; their favour must be sought by thee so long as thou shalt live."
Thus she said; and from the myrtle (for she was standing with her locks wreathed with myrtle) she gave me a leaf and a few berries. Receiving them, I was sensible of the divine influence as well; the sky shone with greater brightness, and all care departed from my breast. While she inspires my genius; hence receive the precepts, ye fair, which propriety, and the laws, and your own privileges, [1013] allow you. Even now, be mindful of old age, that one day will come; then will no time be passed by you in idleness. Disport yourselves, while yet you may, and while even now you confess to your true years; after the manner of the flowing stream, do the years pass by. Neither shall the water which has past by, be ever recalled; nor can the hour which has past, ever return. You must employ your youthful age; with swift step age is gliding on; and that which follows, is not so pleasing as that which having passed was charming. Those brakes, which are withering, I have beheld as beds of violets; from amid those brambles, has a beauteous chaplet been gathered for myself.
The time will be, when you, who are now shutting out a lover, will be lying, an old woman, chilled in the lonely night. No door [1014] of yours will be broken open in the broils of the night; nor will you find in the morning your threshold bestrewed with roses. [1015] How soon, ah me! are our bodies pursed with wrinkles, and that colour which existed in the beauteous face, fades away! The grey hairs, too, which you might have sworn that you had had from childhood, will suddenly be sprinkled over all your head. Old age is thrown off by serpents, together with the light slough; and the shedding of their horns makes the stags not to be old. Our advantages fly irretrievably; pluck the flowers then; if they be not plucked, they will lamentably fade themselves to your sorrow. Besides, child-bearing makes the hours of youth more short-lived; with continual crops the soil waxes old.
Endymion of Latmus, O Moon, causes not thee to blush; nor was Cephalus a prey for the rosy Goddess to be ashamed of. Though Adonis be allowed to Venus, whom she yet laments; whence had she Æneas and Hermione [1016] for her children? Follow, O race of mortals, the example of the Goddesses; and refuse not your endearments to the eager men. Even should they deceive you, what do you lose? All remains the same. Were a thousand to partake thereof, nothing is wasted thereby. Iron is worn away, stones are consumed by use; your persons are proof against all apprehension of detriment. Who would forbid light to be taken from another light presented? Or who, on the deep sea, would hoard up the expanse of waters? "But 'tis not right," you say, "for any woman to grant favours to a man." Tell me, what are you losing but the water, which you may take up again? [1017] Nor are my words urging you to prostitution; but they are forbidding you to fear evils that do not exist: your favours are exempt from loss to yourselves.
But while I am in harbour, let a gentle breeze impel me, destined to sail with the blasts of a stronger gale. I begin with dress: [1018] from the well-dressed vine Bacchus has birth; and in the well-dressed field the high corn springs up. Beauty is the gift of the Divinity; how many a one prides herself on her beauty? Still, a great part [1019] of you is wanting in such endowments. Care will confer charms; charms neglected will perish, even though she be like the Idalian Goddess. If the fair of olden times did not pay such attention to their persons; neither had the ancients men so well-dressed. If Andromache was clad in a coarse tunic, what wonder is it? She was the wife of a hardy soldier. And would his companion, forsooth, come bedecked to Ajax, him whose covering was seven hides of oxen. Formerly a rustic simplicity existed: now gorgeous Rome possesses the wealth of the subdued earth. See the Capitol, what it now is and what it was, you would declare that they belonged to different Jupiters. The Senate-house, which is now right worthy of an assemblage so august, when Tatius held the sway, was made of straw. The fields of the Palatine hill, which are now resplendent in honour of Phoebus [1020] and our rulers, what were they but pastures for the oxen that ploughed?
Let old times delight others: I congratulate myself that I am born thus late; this is the age that is suited to my tastes. Not because the pliable gold is now dug out of the earth, and choice shells [1021] come here from foreign shores; nor yet because, the marble cut out, mountains diminish; nor yet because the azure waves are kept out by the moles. [1022] But because civilization prevails; and because the rude manners that flourished with our ancient forefathers have not come down to our days.
But do not you as well load your ears with precious stones, which the tawny Indian seeks in the green waves. And do not go forth heavily loaded with clothes embroidered with gold: by the wealth through which you seek to attract us, you often drive us away. By neatness we are captivated; let not your hair be without arrangement; the hands applied to it both give beauty and deny it. The method, too, of adorning is not a single one; let each choose the one that is becoming it to her, and let her first consult her mirror. An oval face becomes a parting upon the unadorned head: Laodamia had her hair thus arranged. Round features [1023] require a little knot to be left for them on the top of the head, so that the ears may be exposed. Let the hair of another he thrown over either shoulder. In such guise art thou, tuneful Phoebus, thy lyre being assumed. Let another Lave her hair tied behind after the manner of well-girt Diana, as she is wont when she hunts the scared wild beasts. It becomes another to have her floating locks to flow loosely: another must be bound by fillets over her fastened tresses. Another it delights to be adorned with the figure of the tortoise [1024] of the Cyllenian God: let another keep up her curls that resemble the waves. [1025]