Ovid
Ovid
Publius Ovidius Naso, known as Ovid in the English-speaking world, was a Roman poet who lived during the reign of Augustus. He was a contemporary of the older Virgil and Horace with whom he is often ranked as one of the three canonical poets of Latin literature. The Imperial scholar Quintilian considered him the last of the Latin love elegists. He enjoyed enormous popularity, but, in one of the mysteries of literary history, he was sent by Augustus into exile...
NationalityRoman
ProfessionPoet
practice water use
By constant dripping, water hollows stone, A signet-ring from use alone grows thin, And the curved plowshare by soft earth is worn.
art lying wine
The art of medicine in the season lies: Wine given in season oft will benefit, Which out of season injures.
hands fire may
Nothing aids which may not also injure us. Fire serves us well, but he who plots to burn His neighbor's roof arms his hands with fire.
cheating joy profit
Grant me profits only, grant me the joy of profit made, and see to it that I enjoy cheating the buyer!
unhappy causes prisoner
Tis base to plead the unhappy prisoner's cause, With eloquence that's bought.
promise rich harm
See that you promise: what harm is there in promise? In promises anyone can be rich.
lying fall house
When a house is tottering to its fall, The strain lies heaviest on the weakest part, One tiny crack throughout the structure spreads, And its own weight soon brings it toppling down.
character envy way
Envy, slothful vice, Never makes its way in lofty characters, But, like the skulking viper, creeps and crawls Close to the ground.
dominion love-conquers-all conquer
Love conquers all things; let us own her dominion.
white rose erotic
A red rose peeping through a white? Or else a cherry (double graced) Within a lily? Centre placed? Or ever marked the pretty beam, A strawberry shows, half drowned in cream? Or seen rich rubies blushing through A pure smooth pearl, and orient too? So like to this, nay all the rest, Is each neat niplet of her breast.
bears able misfortunes-of-others
Consider the misfortunes of others, and you will be the better able to bear your own.
hate willing ifs
Hate I shall, if I can; if I can't, I shall love though not willing.
heart hands mind
For in this strange anatomy we wear, the head has greater powers than the hand; the spirit, heart, and mind are over all.
men provoking impunity
No man provokes me with impunity.