 I have always had an affinity to the writers
of old. Every sentence seems to have
a thoughtful weight to it, and their
sultry descriptions ignite the imagination.
They do more then simply share a story
or thought. These authors have an incredible
ability to reach out from the pages,
flirting with the mind, and sharing
intimate bits of humour between themselves
and their readers. There is no doubt
that they are speaking directly to
you. I have felt a private connection
with these artists that I cannot seem
to make with the craftsmen of modern
literature. However, the writers I
so love lived in an age when their
wealthy patrons bought them all the
time in the world to muse over each
word, and their skills gave them status
in their societies. The mind was not
bogged down with contract terms, sales
charts and tour schedules.
One of my earliest loves was Publius
Ovidius Naso (Sulmona, March 20, 43 BC),
a Roman poet known as Ovid. His work
had a great influence on European writers
and artists for centuries. He wrote a
fantastic collection of poetry, my favorite
being the Amores. It is to him I can
accredit my first thoughts of becoming
a companion.
The Amores is a tale of the love he
had for a married beauty who he calls
Corinna, her true identity is never revealed.
It follows their relationship from the
moment he laid eyes on her, to the day
she decides to lend her favor to a wealthier
man.
In the entire collection of works, it
is one simple sentence that made me love
Ovid:
"We too shall be sung throughout
the world, and ever my name shall be
united with thine own." (ELEGY III:HE
COMMENDS HIMSELF TO HIS MISTRESS BY THE
MERITS OF HIS POETRY, THE PURITY OF HIS
MORALS, AND BY THE VOW OF HIS UNCHANGEABLE
FIDELITY)
I read this sitting in my comfortable
fluffy couch, sipping a coke, over a
thousand years later. The power of this
simple prediction sent a ripple of wonderment
through my skin. I found myself putting
down his words, just so I could sit with
that feeling for the rest of the day.
Perhaps it was the knowledge of his
own greatness that made him so imperfect
a lover. He was righteous, jealous, and
ill tempered. He attacks Corinna in a
moment of rage, mocks her when she looses
her hair after attempting to dye it,
sleeps with her maid, and is furious
with her decision to become a Courtesan.
And yet, his words also capture tenderness,
as he pleads with the house servants
to allow him entry to see his beloved,
mourns the death of the parrot he gave
her, and revels in her beauty.
Bellow I share with you some of
the favorite pieces from the Amores,
and I hope you enjoy them as much as
I have!
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