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Anule, formosae digitum vincture puellae,

In quo censendum nil nisi dantis amor,

Munus eas gratum! te laeta mente receptum

Protinus articulis induat illa suis;

Tam bene convenias, quam mecum convenit illi,

Et digitum iusto commodus orbe teras!

Felix, a domina tractaberis, anule, nostra;

Invideo donis iam miser ipse meis.

O utinam fieri subito mea munera possem

Artibus Aeaeae Carpathiive senis!

Tunc ego, cum cupiam dominae tetigisse papillas

Et laevam tunicis inseruisse manum,

Elabar digito quamvis angustus et haerens,

Inque sinum mira laxus ab arte cadam.

Idem ego, ut arcanas possim signare tabellas,

Neve tenax ceram siccaque gemma trahat,

Umida formosae tangam prius ora puellae —

Tantum ne signem scripta dolenda mihi.

Sit labor, ut condar loculis: exire negabo,

Adstringens digitos orbe minore tuos.

Non ego dedecori tibi sum, mea vita, futurus,

Quodve tener digitus ferre recuset, onus.

Me gere, cum calidis perfundes imbribus artus,

Damnaque sub gemmam fer pereuntis aquae —

Sed, puto, te nuda mea membra libidine surgent,

Et peragam partes anulus ille viri.

Inrita quid voveo? parvum proficiscere munus;

Illa datam tecum sentiat esse fidem!

Amores. P. Ovidius Naso. Leipzig. 1907.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education.

Current edition Perseus

Amores (Ovid. P. Ovidius Naso, Volume 1: Amores, Epistulae, Medicamina faciei femineae, Ars amatoria, Remedia amoris. Ehwald, Rudolf; Merkel, Rudolph; editors. Leipzig: B. G. Teubner, 1907.)

Translations (1)

Amores Perseus (Ovid. Ovid's Art of Love (in three Books), the Remedy of Love, the Art of Beauty, the Court of Love, the History of Love, and Amours. Dryden, John, et al., translator. New York: Calvin Blanchard, 1855.) — 2.15 focus

Elegy XV: The Poet addresses the ring which he has sent a present to his mistress. By an unknown hand.

Go, happy ring, who art about to bind

The fair one's finger; may the fair be kind.

Small is the present, tho' the love be great;

May she swift slip thee on thy taper seat.

As she and I, may thou with her agree,

And not too large, nor yet too little be.

To touch her hand thou wilt the pleasure have;

I now must envy what myself I gave.

O! would a Proteus or a Circe change

Me to thy form, that I like thee might range !

Then would I wish thee with her breasts to play,

And her left hand beneath her robes to stray.

Tho' straight she thought me, I will then appear

Loose and unfix'd, and slip I know not where.

Whene'er she writes some secret lines of love,

Lest the dry gum and wax should sticking prove,

He first she moistens : then sly care I take,

And but, when lines I like, impression make.

Of in her pocket fain she would me hide,

Close will I press her finger, and not slide;

Then cry, "My life, I ne'er shall thee disgrace,

And I am light; give me my proper place.

Still let me stick when in the bath you are;

If I catch damage,'tis not worth your care.

Yea, when the ring thy naked body spies,

It will transform, and I a man arise."

Why do I rave? thou little trifle, go,

And that I die for her let the dear creature know.

P. Ovidius Naso Amores 2.15

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Elegy XV: The Poet addresses the ring which he has sent a present to his mistress. By an unknown hand.

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