Amores 1.9

Militat omnis amans, et habet sua castra Cupido

Militat omnis amans, et habet sua castra Cupido

Every lover is a soldier, and Cupid has his own camp

Attice, crede mihi, militat omnis amans!

Atticus, trust me, every lover is a soldier!

Quae bello est habilis, Veneri quoque convenit aetas:

The time which is useful for war, also is convenient for love

turpe senex miles, turpe senilis amor

the old soldier and the old lover is a loathsome thing

Quos petiere duces animos in milite forti

The spirit which leaders have sought in the brave soldier

hos petit in socio bella puella viro

a beautiful girl seeks these in her accompanying man

Pervigilant ambo, terra requiescit uterque

Both keep watch throughout the night, each rests on the ground

ille fores dominae servat, at ille ducis

one protects the doors of his mistress, but the other protects the doors of his leader

Militis officium longa est via; mitte puellam, strenuus exempto fine sequetur amans.

The duty of a soldier is a long march; send away the girl, the hardy lover will follow without end

Ibit in adversos montes duplicataque nimbo flumina; congestas exteret ille nives

He will do against steep mountains and cross rivers doubled with rain; he will crush the piled up snow

nec, freta pressurus, tumidos causabitur euros aptaque verrendis sidera quaeret aquis

About to set sail the seas, he will not fault the raging winds and he will seek the stars suitable for the waters to be swept over

Quis nisi vel miles vel amans et frigora noctis et denso mixtas perferet imbre nives?

Who except the lover or the soldier will endure the chill of the night and the snow mixed with sleet?

Mittitur infestos alter speculator in hostes: in rivale oculos alter, ut hoste, tenet.

One is sent as a spy upon the wicked enemy; the other keeps his eyes on his rival as if the enemy.

Ille graves urbes, hic durae limen amicae obsidet; hic portas frangit, at ille fores.

One besieges mighty cities, the other the door of a hard to get girl; one breaks down the gates, the other breaks down the door.

Sapae soporatos invadere profuit hostes caedere et armata vulgus inerme manu

Often it has been profitable to attack the enemy asleep and to kill the unarmed crowd with an armed hand

sic fera Threicii ceciderunt agmina Rhesi, et dominum capti deseruistis equi

Thus the fierce battle lines of Thracian Rhesus fell, and you, you captured horses, deserted your master

nempe maritorum somnis t amantes et sua sopitis hostibus arma movent

Of course lovers make use of dreams of their spouses and they brandish their weapons upon the sleeping enemy

Custodum transire mznus vigilumque catervas militis et miseri semper amantis opus

To cross the bands of guards and sentinels it is always the need of the poor soldier and lover

Mars dubis, nec certa Venus; victique resurgunt, quosque neges umquam posse iacere, cadunt. Ergo, desidiam quicumque vocabat amorem, desinat- ingenii est experientis Amor!

**War is doubtful and love is not certain; and those conquered rise again and those whom you would never say are able to live in ruins they fall. Therefore whoever was calling love a vacation, may he stop! Love has an enterprising nature.

Ardet in abducta Briseide maestus Achilles (dum licet, Argeas frangite, Troes, opes);

Sad Achilles burns in his stolen Briseis (Hey Trojans, while it is allowed, crush the Greek defenses)

Hector ab Andromaches complexibus ibat as arma, et galaem capiti quae daret, uxor erat;

Hector went from the mebrace of Andromache to war and it was his wife who gave (him) his helmet for his head.

summa ducum, Atrides, visa Priameide, fertur Maenadia effusis obstipuisse comis

The epitome of leaders, Agamemnon, is said, after seeing Cassandra to have been awestruck at the flowing hair of her like a Bacchante

Mars quoque deprensus fabrilla vincula sensit- notior in caelo fabula nilla fuit!

Even Mars when caught felt the chains of the blacksmith there has been no story more famous in heaven!

ipse ego segnis eram discinctaque in otia natus; mollierant animos lectus et umbra meos.

I myself was lazy and born for the easygoing leisure; the shaded couch had softened my spirit

Impulit ignavum formosae cura puellae iussit et in castris aera merere suis

the concern for a beautiful girl has motivated lazy (me) and has forced me to earn my pay in (war) camp

inde vides agilem nocturnaque bella gerentem. qui nolet fieri desidosus, amet!

then you (will) see me active and waging the night war. Whoever does not want to be lazy; May he fall in love