Gentleness especially impresses minds favourably:
harshness creates hatred and fierce wars.
We hate the hawk that lives its life in battle,
and the wolf whose custom is to raid the timid flocks.
But the swallow, for its gentleness, is free from human snares,
and Chaonian doves have dovecotes to live in.
Away with disputes and the battle of bitter tongues:
sweet love must feed on gentle words.
Let married men and married women be checked by rebuffs,
and think in turn things always are against them:
that’s proper for wives: quarrelling’s the marriage dowry:
but a mistress should always hear the longed-for cooing.
No law orders you to come together in one bed:
in your rules it’s love provides the entertainment.
Approach her with gentle flatteries and words to delight
her ear, so that your arrival makes her glad.
I don’t come as a teacher of love for the rich:
he who can give has no need of my art:
He has genius who can say: ‘Take this’ when he pleases:
I submit: he delights more than my inventions.
I’m the poor man’s poet, who was poor when I loved:
when I could give no gifts, I gave them words.
The poor must love warily: the poor fear to speak amiss,
and suffer much that the rich would not.
I remember mussing my lady’s hair in anger:
how many days that anger cost me!
I don’t think I tore her dress, I didn’t feel it: but she
said so, and my reward was to replace it.
But you, if you’re wise, avoid your teacher’s faults,
and fear the harm that came from my offence.
Make war with the Parthians, peace with a civilised friend,
and laughter, and whatever engenders love.
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