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
betrayal fall winning
She who resists as though she would not win, By her own treason falls an easy prey.
pain choke breasts
Suppressed pain chokes us; in our breasts It surges, adding ever to its strength.
littles leisure jupiter
Jupiter has no leisure to attend to little things.
pain punishment faults
I am an exile; but it is the fault that pains; The punishment is nought; that it is deserved Is all the pain.
pain joy sorrow
There is some joy in weeping. For our tears Fill up the cup, then wash our pain away.
joy pleasure forbidden
We take no pleasure in permitted joys, But what's forbidden is more keenly sought.
character men shapes
There are as many characters in men As there are shapes in nature.
men law permit
The wit of man has devised cruel statutes, And nature oft permits what is by law forbid.
wise wisdom may
If the subject's easy we may all be wise; What stands unfirm, the smallest force overthrows.
prayer future feet
When worse may yet befall, there's room for prayer, But when our fortune's at its lowest ebb, We trample fear beneath our feet, and live Without a fear of evil yet to come.
fickle wavering steps
With wavering steps does fickle fortune stray, Nowhere she finds a firm and fixed abode; But now all smiles, and now again all frowns, She's constant only in inconstancy.
clouds shadow gone
Beneath the sun's rays our shadow is our comrade; When clouds obscure the sun our shadow flees. So Fortune's smiles the fickle crowd pursues, But swift is gone whenever she veils her face.
novelty charming all-things
Novelty in all things is charming.
heaven rewards cherish
Heaven rewards the pious; those who cherish the gods Themselves are cherished.