Should anyone here not know the art of love,
read this, and learn by reading how to love.
By art the boat’s set gliding, with oar and sail,
by art the chariot’s swift: love’s ruled by art.
Inspired by Valentine’s Day, our selection this month is The Art of Love, or Ars Amatoria, by the Roman poet Ovid (Publius Ovidius Naso).
As always, you can read any translation you like. Here are links to some free online translations:
- John Dryden / William Congreve, on Perseus
- Henry T. Riley, on Project Gutenberg
- A.S. Kline, on Poetry in Translation
- J. Lewis May, on Wikisource
- J.H. Mozley, on archive.org
You might also be interested to read the introduction Life of Ovid from the edition on Perseus, which concludes with an epitaph composed by Ovid himself:
Here Ovid lies, who sung of tender love,
Yet liv’d the danger of his wit to prove;
To you, true lovers, he makes one request,
As you pass by, to say, – May Ovid rest.
Discussion will start and continue in the CHS Kosmos Society forum, and we will meet via video link on Tuesday, March 3, at 11 a.m. EST (please note date).
Happy readings!