Ovid wrote his three famous books, “Ars Amatoria,” in the first century BCE. Ovid’s poems in “The Art of Love” painted a fascinating picture of the decadent and fashionable life of the Roman upper class. He helped men and women from the upper classes of Roman society to master the art of love and sexual relations. In his poems, he tells men and women how to find a lover, get them to like you, and keep them in love.

His poetic words on love matters have become a landmark in the study of the art of love. Through the centuries, cultures, and generations, people have passed down his insightful advice on how to handle their love affairs.

Henry Riley’s 1885 English translation of Ovid’s works included a literal prose translation rather than the original poetry (Riley, 1885/2014).

Anthony Kline published his recent translation of Ovid’s Ars Amatoria in 2001. Because modern men and women live in a different era than the Romans, it may be difficult to read these books without an understanding of Roman culture during that time (Kline, 2001).

Nevertheless, I believe it is valuable and useful for contemporary men and women to learn about the art of love from antiquated ways of thinking. Many of Ovid’s ancient declarations about love are still valid today. Consequently, I think these books are still fascinating and enjoyable to read.

That’s why I’ve included some wise words from Anthony Kline’s wonderful translations of Ovid’s works in the posts on this love blog.

Many men can discover interesting suggestions for their love affairs from the wonderful rhymes of Book 1 that teach them “How to Find Her” (Part 2), “How to Win Her” (Part 9), “How to Make Promises of Love to Her” (Part 12), “How to Entice and Seduce a Woman” (Parts 13 and 14), “How to Make Promises and Deceive” (Part 16), “How Tears and Kisses Help in Love Affairs” (Part 17), “Psychology Love Tricks in the Art of Love” (Parts 18-19), and others.

The poems of Book II offer other pieces of love counseling to men. Parts V, VI, and VII, for example, talk about how vital it is in love affairs (a) not to be faint-hearted, (b) win over the servants, and (c) give her little tasteful gifts.

In Book II, Ovid also says how to Be Gentle and Good-Tempered in Love Relations (Part III), Let Her Miss You, but Not For Long (Part X), how to Stir Her Jealousy in Their Art of Love (Part XIII), Be Wise and Ready to Suffer in Love (Part XIV).

Here is Part XVI of Ovid’s Book II, advising men that there can be virtue in being silent and keeping the relationship with a woman secret.

Keep It Secret, Part XVI of Book II:

Who’d dare reveal to the impious the secret rites of Ceres,

or uncover the high mysteries of Samothrace?

There’s little virtue in keeping silent:

but speaking of what’s kept secret’s a heinous crime.

O it’s good if that babbler Tantalus, clutching at fruit in vain,

thirsts in the very middle of the waters!

Venus, above all, orders you to be silent about her rites:

I warn you, let no idle chatterers come near her.

Though the mysteries of Venus are not buried in a box,

nor echo in the wide air to the clash of cymbals,

but are busily enjoyed so, by us all,

they still wish to be concealed among us.

Venus, herself, when she takes off her clothes,

covers her sex with the half-turned palm of her left hand.

Beasts couple indiscriminately in full view: from this sight

girls of course turn aside their faces, too.

Bedrooms and locked doors suit our intrigues,

and shameful things are hidden under the sheets:

and if not darkness, we seek some veiling shadow,

and something less exposed than the light of day.

Even back then, when roofs kept out neither rain nor sun,

and the oak-tree provided food and shelter,

pleasure was had in woods and caves, not under the heavens:

such care the native peoples had for their modesty.

but now we advertise our nocturnal acts,

and nothing’s bought if it can’t be boasted of!

No doubt you’ll look out every girl, whatever,

to say to whom you please: ‘She too was mine,’

and there’ll be no lack of those you can point out,

so for each that’s mentioned there’s a shameful tale?

Little to cry at: some invent, what they’d deny if true,

and claim there isn’t one they haven’t slept with.

If not their bodies, they touch what they can, their names,

and the reputation’s gone, though the body’s chaste.

  Odious watchman, go close the girl’s door, now,

  too late, locked with a hundred heavy bars!

What’s safe, when adulterers give out her name,

and want what never happened to be believed?

I’m wary even of professing to genuine passions, 

and, trust me, my secret affairs are wholly hidden.

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