The Amores

FOOTNOTES OF BOOK THE FIRST

001

[ Were five books.—Ver. 1. From this it is clear, that the first edition which Ovid gave to the public of his ‘Amores’ was in five Books; but that on revising his work, he preferred (praetulit) these three books to the former five. It is supposed that he rejected many of those Elegies which were of too free a nature and were likely to embroil him with the authorities, by reason of their licentiousness.]

002

[ Though it should.—Ver. 3. Burmann has rightly observed, that ‘ut jam,’ in this line, has exactly the force of ‘quamvis,’ ‘although.’]

003

[ In serious numbers.—Ver. 1. By the ‘graves numeri,’ he means Heroic or Hexameter verses. It is supposed that he alludes to the battle of the Giants or the Titans, on which subject he had begun to write an heroic poem. In these lines Ovid seems to have had in view the commencement of the first Ode of Anacreon.]

004

[ Suited to the measure.—Ver. 2. The subject being of a grave character, and, as such, suited to Heroic measure.]

005

[ Abstracted one foot.—Ver. 4. He says that every second line (as is the case in Heroic verse) had as many feet as the first, namely, six : but that Cupid stole a foot from the Hexameter, and reduced it to a Pentameter, whereby the Poet was forced to recur to the Elegiac measure.]

008

[ Diminish my energies.—Ver. 18. See the Note to the fourth line.]

009

[ His quiver loosened.—Ver. 21. The ‘pharetra,’ or quiver, filled with arrows, was used by most of the nations that excelled in archery, among whom were the Scythians, Persians, Lycians, Thracians, and Cretans. It was made of leather, and was sometimes adorned with gold or painting. It had a lid, and was suspended by a belt from the right shoulder. Its usual position was on the left hip, and it was thus worn by the Scythians and Egyptians. The Cretans, however, wore it behind the back, and Diana, in her statues, is represented as so doing. This must have been the method in which Cupid is intended in the present instance to wear it, as he has to unloose the quiver before he takes out the arrow. Some Commentators, however, would have ‘solutâ’ to refer simply to the act of opening the quiver.]

010

[ In six feet.—Ver. 27. He says that he must henceforth write in Hexameters and Pentameters, or, in other words, in the Elegiac measure.]

011

[ My Muse.—Ver. 30. The Muse addressed by him would be Erato, under whose protection were those Poets whose theme was Love. He bids her wreathe her hair with myrtle, because it was sacred to Venus; while, on the other hand, laurels would be better adapted to the Heroic Muse. The myrtle is said to love the moisture and coolness of the sea-shore.]

014

[ Thy step-father.—Ver. 24. He calls Mars the step-father of Cupid, in consequence of his intrigue with Venus.]

015

[ Birds so yoked.—Ver. 26. These are the doves which were sacred to Venus and Cupid. By yoking them to the chariot of Mars, the Poe* wishes to show the skill and power of Cupid.]

016

[ Io triumphe.—Ver. 25. ‘Clamare triumphum,’ means ‘to shout Io triumphe,’ as the procession moves along. Lactantius speaks of a poem called ‘the Triumph of Cupid,’ in which Jupiter and the other Gods were represented as following him in the triumphal procession.]

017

[ Thyself with gold.—Ver. 42. The poet Mosehus represents Cupid as having wings of gold.]

018

[ The Gangetic land.—Ver. 47. He alludes to the Indian triumphs of Bacchus, which extended to the river Ganges.]

019

[ Thy kinsman Cæsar—Ver. 51. Because Augustus, as the adopted son of Julius Cæsar, was said to be descended from Venus, through the line of Æneas.]

020

[ Shield the conquered.—Ver. 52. Although Augustus had many faults, it must be admitted that he was, like Julius, a most merciful conqueror, and was generally averse to bloodshed.]

021

[ Founder of my family. —Ver. 8. See the Life of Ovid prefixed to the Fasti; and the Second Book of the Tristia.]

022

[ Each of my parents.—Ver. 10. From this it appears that this Elegy was composed during the life-time of both of his parents, and while, probably, he was still dependent on his father.]

023

[ No rover in affection.—Ver. 15. ‘Desuitor,’ literally means ‘one who leaps off.’ The figure is derived from those equestrians who rode upon several horses, or guided several chariots, passing from the one to the other. This sport was very frequently exhibited in the Roman Circus. Among the Romans, the ‘desuitor’ generally wore a ‘pileus,’ or cap of felt. The Numidian, Scythian, and Armenian soldiers, were said to have been skilled in the same art.]

024

[ Of the bird.—Ver. 22. He alludes to Leda and Europa.]

026

[ The same banquet.—Ver. 1. He says that they are about to meet at ‘coena,’ at the house of a common friend.]

027

[ The last meal.—Ver. 2. The ‘coena’ of the Romans is usually translated by the word ‘supper’; but as being the chief meal of the day, and being in general, (at least during the Augustan age) taken at about three o’clock, it really corresponds to our ‘dinner.’]

028

[ Warm the bosom of another.—Ver. 5. As each guest while reclining on the couch at the entertainment, mostly leaned on his left elbow during the meal, and as two or more persons lay on the same couch, the head of one person reached to the breast of him who lay above him, and the lower person was said to lie on the bosom of the other. Among the Romans, the usual number of persons occupying each couch was three. Sometimes, however, four occupied one couch; while, among the Greeks, only two reclined upon it. In this instance, he describes the lady as occupying the place below her husband, and consequently warming his breast with her head. For a considerable time after the fashion of reclining at meals had been introduced into Rome, the Roman ladies sat at meals while the other sex was recumbent. Indeed, it was generally considered more becoming for females to be seated, especially if it was a party where many persons were present. Juvenal, however, represents a bride as reclining at the marriage supper on the bosom of her husband. On the present occasion, it is not very likely that the ladies were particular about the more rigid rules of etiquette. It must be remembered that before lying down, the shoes or sandals were taken off.]

029

[ Damsel of Atrax.—Ver. 8. He alludes to the marriage of Hippodamia to Pirithous, and the battle between the Centaurs and the Lapithæ, described in the Twelfth-. Book of the Metamorphoses.]

031

[ Do come first.—Ver. 14. He hardly knows why he asks her to do so, but still she must come before her husband; perhaps, that he may have the pleasure of gazing upon her without the chance of detection; the more especially as she would not recline till her husband had arrived, and would, till then, probably be seated.]

032

[ Touch my foot.—Ver. 16. This would show that she had safely received his letter.]

033

[ My secret signs.—Ver. 18. See the Note in this Volume, to the 90th line of the 17th Epistle.]

034

[ By my eye-brows.—Ver. 19. See the 82nd line of the 17th Epistle.]

035

[ Traced in the wine.—Ver. 20. See the 88th line of the 17th Epistle.]

036

[ Your blooming cheeks.—Ver. 22. Probably by way of check to his want of caution.]

037

[ Twisted on your fingers.—Ver. 26. The Sabines were the first to introduce the practice of wearing rings among the Romans. The Romans generally wore one ring, at least, and mostly upon the fourth finger of the left hand. Down to the latest period of the Republic, the rings were mostly of iron, and answered the’purpose of a signet. The right of wearing a gold ring remained for several centuries the exclusive privilege of Senators, Magistrates, and Knights. The emperors were not very scrupulous on whom they conferred the privilege of wearing the gold ring, and Severus and Aurelian gave the right to all Roman soldiers. Vain persons who had the privilege, literally covered their fingers with rings, so much so, that Quintilian thinks it necessary to warn the orator not to have them above the middle joint of the fingers. The rings and the gems set in them, were often of extreme beauty and value. From Juvenal and Martial we learn that the coxcombs of the day had rings for both winter and summer wear. They were kept in ‘dactyliothecæ,’ or ring boxes, where they were ranged in a row.]

038

[ Who are in prayer.—Ver. 27. It was the custom to hold the altar while the suppliant was praying to...