Perseus · Tufts
All Greek and Roman Materials
Collections: Classics · Papyri · Renaissance · London · California · Upper Midwest · Chesapeake · Boyle · Tufts History
Configure display · Help · Tools · Copyright · FAQ · Publications · Collaborations · Support Perseus
Classics:
Classics collection contents
About the Classics collection
Greek Hist. Overview
Art & Arch. Catalogs

Other Tools & Lexica
Plot:
  • sites on this page
  • sites in this poem
  • sites in this document
    Display text chunked by:
    poem
    carte (default)
    Contents:
  • Poem 1: Penelope to Ulysses
  • Poem 2: Phyllis to Demophoon
  • Poem 3: Briseis to Achilles
  • Poem 4: Phaedra to Hippolytus
  • Poem 5: Oenone to Paris
  • Poem 6: Hypsipyle to Jason
  • Poem 7: Dido to Aeneas
  • Poem 8: Hermione to Orestes
  • Poem 9: Deianira to Hercules
  • Poem 10: Ariadne to Theseus
  • Poem 11: Canace to Macareus
  • Poem 12: Medea to Jason
  • Poem 13: Laodamia to Protesilaus
  • Poem 14: Hypermnestra to Lynceus
  • Poem 15: Sappho to Phaon
  • Poem 16: Paris to Helen
  • Poem 17: Helen to Paris
  • Poem 18: Leander to Hero
  • Poem 19: Hero to Leander
  • Poem 20: Acontius to Cydippe
  • Poem 21: Cydippe to Acontius
    		•

    P. Ovidius Naso, The Epistles of Ovid

    Dido to Aeneas

    Editions and translations: Latin (ed. R. Ehwald) | English
    Your current position in the text is marked in red. Click anywhere on the line to jump to another position.
    poem=1 poem=1:line=15 poem=1:line=35 poem=1:line=50 poem=1:line=60 poem=1:line=80 poem=1:line=95 poem=1:line=110 poem=2:line=5 poem=2:line=20 poem=2:line=35 poem=2:line=50 poem=2:line=65 poem=2:line=80 poem=2:line=100 poem=2:line=105 poem=2:line=120 poem=2:line=140 poem=3 poem=3:line=5 poem=3:line=101 poem=4 poem=4 poem=4:line=51 poem=4:line=103 poem=5 poem=5 poem=5:line=53 poem=5:line=105 poem=6 poem=6 poem=6:line=55 poem=6:line=105 poem=7 poem=7 poem=7:line=51 poem=7:line=99 poem=7:line=153 poem=8 poem=8 poem=8 poem=9 poem=9 poem=9:line=55 poem=9:line=105 poem=10 poem=10:line=55 poem=10:line=105 poem=11 poem=11 poem=11:line=65 poem=11:line=65 poem=12 poem=12 poem=12:line=53 poem=12:line=109 poem=12:line=109 poem=12:line=163 poem=13 poem=13:line=57 poem=13:line=57 poem=13:line=115 poem=14 poem=14 poem=14:line=69 poem=14:line=69 poem=15 poem=15:line=53 poem=15:line=53 poem=15:line=107 poem=15:line=173 poem=16 poem=16 poem=16:line=53 poem=16:line=53 poem=16:line=117 poem=16:line=183 poem=16:line=183 poem=16:line=237 poem=16:line=237 poem=16:line=299 poem=17 poem=17 poem=17:line=51 poem=17:line=103 poem=17:line=159 poem=17:line=159 poem=17:line=215 poem=18 poem=18:line=51 poem=18:line=51 poem=18:line=111 poem=18:line=111 poem=18:line=167 poem=19 poem=19 poem=19:line=57 poem=19:line=115 poem=19:line=115 poem=19:line=167 poem=20 poem=20 poem=20:line=63 poem=20:line=63 poem=20:line=123 poem=20:line=183 poem=21 poem=21:line=10 poem=21:line=25 poem=21:line=49 poem=21:line=49 poem=21:line=103 poem=21:line=151 poem=21:line=151

    Table of ContentsGo to Previous Next

    [153] If you are fond of war, if Iulus is impatient to gather laurels in the field; that every thing may be to your wish, he shall find foes to conquer. Here you may taste the blessings of peace, or engage in the toils of war. I adjure you by your parent Goddess, by the arrows of Cupid your brother; by the Gods of Troy, companions of your flight, (so may all that you bring with you from Troy survive the attacks of fortune, and that war prove the period of your calamities; so may Ascanius fill up the measure of his years, and the bones of old Anchises rest in peace,) have pity on me, whose fate is in your hand; whose only crime is to have loved you too well. I am not of Mycenæ, or descended from hostile Achilles; nor did my husband or father ever bear arms against you. If you think we unworthy to be your wife, receive me under the name of your hostess. Dido will submit to any thing, if she may be yours. The seas that beat against the

    African shore are well known to me. At certain seasons they favor and they frown. When the winds invite you to be gone, you shall spread the swelling sails: now the moored ships are surrounded with floating sea-weed. Let it be my care to observe the season proper for sailing; you shall go, when you may with safety; nor (if you should even desire it) would I suffer you to stay. Your companions will be pleased with a little rest; and the shattered fleet, not completely repaired, requires some delay. I also ask a small respite, if I have any merit with you; if you value my love, or the ties by which I am your's; that the waves and my love may assuage; that by time and use I may learn to bear my sorrows with fortitude. If not, I will end my misery with my life; nor shall it be long in your power to use me thus barbarously. O that you could represent me to yourself as writing this letter! I write, and on my lap lies a drawn sword. The tears flow down my checks upon that weapon, which instead of tears will be soon stained with blood. How well are your

    gifts fitted to my destiny! You raise my sepulchre at an easy rate. Nor does this dart now first pierce my breast; it previously felt the wounds of cruel love. And you, my dear sister, the confidante of my guilty flame, shall soon pay the last duty to my unhappy remains. Nor let my monument boast that I was the wife of Sichæus; may the marble bear only this inscription: Æneas afforded the cause and instrument of Dido's death; but she fell by her own hand.


    There are a total of 2 comments on and cross references to this page.

    Further comments from Commentary on the Heroides of Ovid:
    poem 7 (general note)
    poem 7, line 99: Sichaeus.

    Preferred URL for linking to this page: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?lookup=Ov.+Ep.+7.153

    NSF, NEH: Digital Libraries Initiative, Phase 2 provided support for entering this text.

    This text is based on the following book(s):
    P. Ovidius Naso. The Epistles of Ovid, translated into English prose, as near the original as the different idioms of the Latin and English languages will allow; with the Latin text and order of construction on the same page; and critical, historical, geographical, and classical notes in English, from the very best commentators both ancient and modern; beside a very great number of notes entirely new. London. J. Nunn, Great-Queen-Street; R. Priestly, 143, High-Holborn; R. Lea, Greek-Street, Soho; and J. Rodwell, New-Bond-Street. 1813.

    This text was converted to electronic form by optical character recognition and has been proofread to a low level of accuracy.

    Previous Next