Book 2, The Amores : Chapter 1, Book 1 Summary

Here readers are introduced to the text proper. There are 15 poems in this book, all translated into English. What follows is very brief commentary on many of them, one at a time.

1. The author begins to write about warfare but is rapidly diverted to a discussion of his Muse.

2. This one compares warfare to love. He is overwhelmed by the little god Cupid and his match-making powers that seem at times "unfair at best." He concludes the poem by observing that Augustus Caesar's Roman conquests lead to protectorates for the conquered.

3. He claims and describes his passion for a woman. He calls himself chaste and genuine and refers to the marital vow of "till death do us part." Peter Green denies that this is a reference to his first wife.

4. This poem is from the...