Few, however, are the forms free from defect. Conceal your blemishes; and, so far as you can, hide the imperfections of your person. If you are short, sit down; that, while standing, you may not appear to be sitting; and if of a diminutive size, throw yourself upon your couch. Here, too, that your measure may not be able to be taken as you lie, take care that your feet are concealed with the clothes [1049] thrown over them. She who is too thin, let her wear clothes of thick texture; and let her vestments hang loosely from her shoulders. Let her who is pale, tint her complexion with purple stripes; [1050] do you that are more swarthy, have recourse to the aid of the Pharian fish. [1051] Let an ill-shaped foot be always concealed in a boot of snow-white leather steeped in alum; and do not unloose their laced sandals from the spindly legs. For high shoulders, small pads are suitable; [1052] and let the girth [1053] encircle the bosom that is too prominent. She whose fingers are dumpy, and whose nails are rough, should mark with but little gesture whatever is said. She, whose breath is strong smelling, should never talk with an empty stomach; and she should always stand at a distance [1054] from her lover's face.
If your teeth are black, or large, or not, growing straight, you will suffer very great inconvenience from laughing. Who could have supposed it? The fair take lessons even in laughing; and even in that respect is gracefulness studied by them. Let your mouth be but moderately open; let the dimples on either side he but small; and let the extremity of the lips cover the upper part of the teeth. And do not let your sides be shaking with prolonged laughter; but let them utter sounds gentle and feminine, to I know not what degree. Some there are, who distort their face with an unsightly grin; another, when she is joyous in her laughter, you would take to be crying. Another makes a harsh noise, and screams in a disagreeable manner; just as the unsightly she-ass brays by the rough mill-stone.
To what point does not art proceed? Some study how to weep with grace, and cry at what time and in what manner they please. Nay, further; when the letters are deprived of their full sound, and the lisping tongue becomes contracted with an affected pronunciation; then is grace sought in an imperfection; to pronounce certain words badly, they learn to be less able to speak than they really are. To all these points, since they are of consequence, give attention. Learn how to walk with steps suited to a female. Even in the gait, there are certain points of gracefulness not to be disregarded; this both attracts and repels men who are strange to you. This fair one moves her sides with skill, and with her flowing tunics catches the breeze, and haughtily moves her extended feet. Another walks just like the redfaced spouse of some Umbrian [1055] husband, and, straddling, takes huge strides. But, as in many other things, let there be a medium here as well; one movement is clownish; another movement will be too mincing in its gait. But let the lower part of your shoulders, and the upper part of your arm be bare, to be beheld from your left hand upwards. This is especially becoming to you, ye of fair complexion; when I see this, I have always a longing to give a kiss to the shoulder, where it is exposed.
The Sirens were monsters of the deep, which with their tuneful voices detained the ships, even though in full career. On hearing them, the son of Sisyphus [1056] almost released his body from the mast; for the wax [1057] was melted in the ears of his companions. The voice is an insinuating quality; let the fair learn how to sing. In place of beauty, her voice has proved the recommendation of many a woman. And sometimes let them repeat what they have heard in the marble theatres; and sometimes the songs attuned to the measures of the Nile. [1058] Neither, in my way of thinking, ought a clever woman to be ignorant how to hold the plectrum [1059] in her right hand, the lyre in her left. Orpheus of Rhodope with his lyre moved rocks, and wild beasts, and the lakes of Tartarus, and Cerberus the triple dog. At thy singing, most righteous avenger of thy mother, [1060] the attentive stones built up the walls. The fish, (the well-known story of the lyre of Arion, [1061] although he was dumb, is supposed to have been moved by his voice. Learn, too, to sweep the chords of the festive psaltery [1062] with your two hands; 'tis an instrument suited to amorous lays.
Let the songs of Callimachus [1063] be known to you, let those of the poet of Cos, [1064] let the Teian Muse too, of the drunken old bard. Let Sappho, too, be well known; for what is there more exciting than she? Or than him, through whom [1065] the father is deceived by the tricks of the crafty Geta? You may, too, have read the poems of the tender Propertius, [1066] or something of Gallus, or thy works, Tibullus. [1067] The fleece, too, so bewailed, O Phryxus, of thy sister, shining with its yellow hair, celebrated by Varro. [1068] The exiled Æneas, as well, the first origin of lofty Rome, [1069] than which no work exists in Latium of greater fame.
Perhaps, too, my name will be mingled among these, and my writings will not be consigned to the waters of Lethe. And people will one day say, "Read the elegant lines of our master, in which he instructs the two sides. [1070] Or of his three books, which the title designates as, 'The Amours,' choose a portion to read with skilful lips, in a languishing way. Or let his Epistles be repeated by you with well-modulated voice; this kind of composition, [1071] unknown to others, did he invent." O Phoebus, mayst thou so will it; so too, ye benignant Divinities of the Poets, Bacchus, graceful with thy horns, and you, ye nine Goddesses!
Who can doubt that I should wish the falr one to know how to dance, that, the wine placed on table, she may move her arms in cadence, when requested. Masters of posture, [1072] the representations on the stage, are much valued; so much gracefulness does that pliant art possess. I am ashamed to advise on trifling points, to understand how to throw a cast of dice, and, thy value, the cube when thrown. And now let her throw the three numbers; now let her consider, at which number she can cleverly enter most conveniently, and which one she must call for. [1073] And, with her skill, let her play not amiss at the hostilities of the pieces; [1074] when the single man perishes between his two enemies. How the warrior, too, [1075] wages the war when caught without his companion; and how the enemy full oft retreats on the path on which he has begun. Let the smooth balls, [1076] too, be poured into the open net; and not a ball must be moved but the one which you shall be lifting up. There is a kind of game, [1077] distributed into as many lines on a small scale, as the fleeting year contains months. A little table receives [1078] three pebbles on each side, on which to bring one's own into a straight line, is to gain the victory.
Devise a thousand amusements. 'Tis shocking for the fair one not to know how to play; many a time, while playing, is love commenced. But the least matter is how to use the throws to advantage; 'tis a task of greater consequence to lay a restraint on one's manners. While we are not thinking, and are revealed by our very intentness, and, through the game, our feelings, laid bare, are exposed; anger arises, a disgraceful failing, and the greed for gain; quarrels, too, and strife, and, then, bitter regrets. Recriminations are uttered; the air resounds with the brawl, and every one for himself invokes the angry Divinities. There is no trusting [1079] the tables, and, amid vows, new tables are called for; full oft, too, have I seen cheeks wet with tears. May Jupiter avert from you indiscretions so unbecoming, you, who have a care to be pleasing to any lover.
To the fair, has nature, in softer mood, assigned these amusements; with materials more abundant do the men disport. They have both the flying ball, [1080] and the javelin, and the hoop, and arms, and the horse trained to go round the ring. No plain of Mars receives you, nor does the spring of the Virgin, [1081] so intensely cold; nor does the Etrurian [1082] river carry you along with its smooth stream. But you are allowed, and it is to your advantage, to go in the shade of Pompey's Portico, at the time when the head is heated by the steeds of the Constellation of the Virgin. [1083] Frequent the Palatium, consecrated to the laurel-bearing Phoebus;'twas he that overwhelmed in the deep the ships of Parsetonium. [1084] The memorials, also, which the Bister and the wife [1085] of our Ruler have erected; his son-in-law [1086] too, his head encircled with naval honors. Frequent the altars of the Memphian heifer, [1087] that smoke with frankincense; frequent the three Theatres, [1088] in conspicuous positions. Let the sand, stained with the warm blood, have you for spectators; the goal, also, to be passed with the glowing wheels. [1089]
That which lies hid is unknown; for what is not known there is no desire. All advantage is lost, when a pretty face is without one to see it. Were you to excel even Thamyras [1090] and Amcebeus in your singing, there would be no great regard for your lyre, while unknown. If Apelles of Cos [1091] had never painted Venus, she would have lain concealed beneath the ocean waves. What but fame alone is sought by the hallowed Poets? The sum of all my labours has that crowning object. In former days, Poets were [1092] the care of rulers and of kings; and the choirs of old received great rewards. Hallowed was the dignity, and venerable the name of the Poets; and upon them great riches were often bestowed. Ennius, born in the mountains of Calabria, was deemed worthy, great Scipio, to be placed near to thee. [1093] At the present day, the ivy lies abandoned, without any honor; and the laborious anxiety that toils for the learned Muses, receives the appellation of idleness.