Ovid - Advice to a rejected lover

si non accipiet scriptum inlectumque remittet,

If she does not accept your letter and sends it back unread,

lecturam spera propositumque tene.

Hope she will read [it] and keep hold of your plan.

tempore difficiles veniunt ad aratra iuvenci,

The difficult young oxen come to the plough in time,

tempore lenta pati frena docentur equi.

And in time horses are taught to tolerate stiff reins.

ferreus assiduo consumitur anulus usu,

The iron ring is worn away with constant use,

interit assidua vomer aduncus humo.

The curved plough is ruined endlessly [working] the earth.

quid magis est saxo durum, quid mollius unda?

What else is harder than rock, softer than a wave?

dura tamen molli saxa cavantur aqua.

But the hard rocks are hollowed out by the gentle water.

Penelopen ipsam, persta modo, tempore vinces:

Just keep going, you will conquer Penelope herself in time:

capta vides sero Pergama, capta tamen.

You see that Troy was captured after a long time - but it was captured.