The article brings in practical quotes for women from Ovid’s “Ars Amatoria,” suggesting trying young lovers as well as older lovers.

Ovid was a distinguished Roman poet who lived from 43 BCE to 17 CE. His “Ars Amatoria” (The Art of Love) poetry trilogy has been a favorite among educated and noble readers for centuries. Numerous contemporary humanities experts have read and praised Ovid’s “The Art of Love.”

In his poems, Ovid provided Roman men and women with his love advice. He instructs them on how to attract, entice, and maintain a relationship with their lovers. He also instructs them on how to apply the art of love to their sexual relationships.

The Romans lived in a different time period and had a different lifestyle than we do. However, I believe that Ovid’s poetry can teach educated men and women of today something interesting and useful about love. For those interested in learning more about how ancient Romans lived and loved, I have included excerpts from these books on this website. Some of Ovid’s advice applies to contemporary life, love, and relationships.

His poetry collection “Ars Amatoria” provides helpful suggestions to contemporary men and women on how to find, entice, and maintain a partner in a relationship. Ovid’s first two poetry books offer advice for men on how to approach, court, and seduce women. The third book teaches women how to be alluring, lovable, and maintain loving relationships with the men they love.

The Art of Roman Love Shared in my Previous Blog Posts

In previous blog posts, I shared some of Ovid’s poetry-based advice for men. These lovely verses cover a variety of topics, including: “how to search for love while at the theatre,” “at the races or circus,” “around the dinner-table and on the beach,” “how to find her“ and “what is his task.“  Ovid also educates a Roman man that “triumphs are good to attract a woman.” He teaches a man “how to know her,” “how to win her“, “how to captivate a woman,” “how to be attentive to her,”“how to make promises and deceive,” and “seduce her.” Ovid illustrates “how tears, kisses, and taking the lead help in love affairs.”

Furthermore, the articles on this blog include Ovid’s wisdom on love for women “how to keep taste and elegance in hair and dress,” “how to appear,” “how to use makeup,” “How to be modestly expressive,” “how to hide defects in appearance,” and “how to beware of false lovers.”

Here are some poems for girls and women from Book III of Ovid’s “Ars Amatoria.” Ovid tells them how important it is to try young lovers as well as older lovers to get their experience of love.

Ovid Tells Women to Try Young Lovers and Older Ones to Learn Love

“No rider rules a horse that’s lately known the reins,

with the same bit as one that’s truly mastered,

nor will the same way serve to captivate

the mind of mature years and of green youth.

This raw recruit, first known of now in love’s campaigns,

who reaches your threshold, a fresh prize,

must know you only, always cling to you alone:

this crop must be surrounded by high hedges.

Keep rivals away: you’ll win while you hold just one:

love and power don’t last long when they’re shared.

Your older warrior loves sensibly and wisely,

suffers much that the beginner won’t endure:

he won’t break the door down, burn it with cruel fire,

attack his mistress’s tender cheeks with his nails,

or rip apart his clothing or his girl’s,

nor will torn hair be a cause of tears.

That suits hot boys, the time of strong desire:

but he’ll bear cruel wounds with calm mind.

He burns, alas, with slow fires, like wet straw,

like new-cut timber on the mountain height.

This love’s more sure: that’s brief and more prolific: snatch the swift fruits, that fly, in your hand.”

Kline, A. S. (2001). Translation of Ovid’s Ars Amatoria: The Art of Love.