Ovid Amores 1.9

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!

Believe me, Atticus, every lover is a soldier!

Quae bello est habilis, Veneri quoque convenit aetas:

The time of life which is appropriate for war, is also suitable for Venus

turpe senex miles, turpe senilis amor

an old soldier is a foul thing, and the love of an old man is a foul thing

Quos petiere duces animos in milite forti

The spirits which leaders have looked for in a brave soldier

hos petit in socio bella puella viro

a beautiful girl looks for these in the man who is her partner:

Pervigilant ambo, terra requiescit uterque

Both stay awake all night, each sleeps on the ground

ille fores dominae servat, at ille ducis

one guards the doors of his mistress, the other 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 his girl away, and the keen lover will follow endlessly

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

he will go into mountains facing him and rivers double by downpours, he will crush piled up snow,

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

and when about to ply the seas, he will not blame the swollen East winds or look for stars suitable for sweeping the waters

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

Who, except either a soldier or a lover will endure the cold of night and snow mixed with dense rain?

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

One is sent as a spy into the hostile enemy; the other keeps his eyes on his rival as on an enemy.

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

that one besieges mighty cities, this one the threshold of his cruel girlfriend; one breaks down gates, the other doors.

Sapae soporatos invadere profuit hostes caedere et armata vulgus inerme manu

it has often been profitable to attack an enemy made sleepy and to slaughter an unarmed crowd with armed hand

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

in this way fierce companies of Thracian Rhesus fell, and you, captured horses, deserted your master

nempe maritorum somnis t amantes et sua sopitis hostibus arma movent

lovers of course make use the slumbers of their husbands and move their weapons when their enemy are asleep

Custodum transire mznus vigilumque catervas militis et miseri semper amantis opus

To pass through bands of guards and crowds of watchmen is always the task of the soldier and the poor lover

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

Mars is fickle and Venus is not certain; the conquered rise again, and those whom you would say can never be never laid low fall. Therefore whoever used to call love idleness, let him cease! Love is of an active nature.

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

great Achilles burned over Briseis after she was snatched away (Break the Argive resources, Trojans, while you can)

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

Hector went from the embraces of Andromache to arms and the one who gave (him) his helmet for his head was his wife.

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

The greatest of leaders, the son of Atreus, when he saw Priam’s daughter, is said, to have been astounded by her loosened Maenad’s hair.

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

Mars also was caught and felt the blacksmith’s chains: no story was better known in heaven!

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

I myself was lazy and born for easygoing leisure; a couch and the shade had soothed my spirit

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

the love of a beautiful girl has driven on this lazy man, and has ordered me to earn my pay in its camp

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

and so you see me active and waging nocturnal wars. Whoever does not want to become idle; Let him love