Book I  How to love
第一卷  如何获得爱情
I：His Task
  Should anyone here not know the art of love，read this，and learn by reading how to love. By art the boat’s set gliding，with oar and sail，by art the chariot’s swift：love’s ruled by art. Automedon was skilled with Achilles’s chariot reins，Tiphys in Thessaly was steersman of the Argo，Venus appointed me as guide to gentle Love：I’ll be known as Love’s Tiphys，and Automedon. It’s true Love’s wild，and one who often flouts me：but he’s a child of tender years，fit to be ruled. Chiron made the young Achilles perfect at the lyre，and tempered his wild spirits through peaceful art. He，who so terrified his enemies and friends，they say he greatly feared the aged Centaur. That hand that Hector was destined to know，was held out，at his master’s orders，to be flogged；I am Love’s teacher as Chiron was Achilles’s，both wild boys，both children of a goddess. Yet the bullock’s neck is bowed beneath the yoke，and the spirited horse’s teeth worn by the bit. And Love will yield to me，though with his bow he wounds my heart，shakes at me his burning torch. The more he pierces me，the more violently he burns me，so much the fitter am I to avenge the wounds. Nor will I falsely say you gave me the art，Apollo，no voice from a heavenly bird gives me advice，I never caught sight of Clio or Clio’s sisterswhile herding the flocks，Ascra，in your valleys：Experience prompts this work：listen to the expert poet. I sing true； Venus，help my venture！ Far away from here，you badges of modesty，the thin headband，the ankle-covering dress！ I sing of safe love，permissible intrigue，and there’ll be nothing sinful in my song.
   Now the first task for you who come as a raw recruitis to find out who you might wish to love. The next task is to make sure that she likes you：the third，to see to it that the love will last. That’s my aim，that’s the ground my chariot will cover：that’s the post my thundering wheels will scrape.
1.他的任务
   假如在我们的国人中有一个人不懂得爱的艺术，那么他只要读了这部诗作，之后他便能够理解了，他就学会了爱。用帆和桨使船儿航行得很快的是一门艺术，使车儿驰行得很轻捷的也是一门艺术。艺术也能够统治阿谟尔。沃岛美东善于驾车和运用那柔顺的马缰；谛费斯是海木尼阿船的舵工。而我呢，维纳斯曾经叫我做过她的小阿谟尔的老师；人们将称我为阿谟尔的谛费斯和沃岛美东。他生来就非常倔犟，他时常与我对抗，但是他还是个孩子，应该是柔顺的年龄，是听人指挥的。菲丽拉的儿子用琴的韵律来教育阿岂赖斯，用这种平寂的艺术，驯服了他的野性。这个人，他曾经多少次让他的同伙，和他的敌人感到恐怖，但是有人却说看见他在一个衰颓的老人前退缩颤抖；他的双手使海克笃尔都感到十分有分量，但是当他的老师让他拿出来时，他却会毫不犹豫地伸出来接受惩罚。岂龙是艾阿古斯的孙子的启蒙老师；我呢，我是阿谟尔的启蒙老师。两个都是让人敬畏的孩子，两个都是女神的儿子。可是骄恣的雄牛终究还是要驾着耕犁的轭，勇敢的战马再骠悍也还是要嚼着那控制着它的辔头。我也是这样，我降伏了阿谟尔，虽然他的箭伤了我的心，而且还在我的面前摇动着他那耀眼的火炬。他的箭越是尖锐，他的火也就越是猛烈，他也就越激起我为了那伤痕而去报复。斐菩斯啊，我决不会冒充说那我所教的艺术是受你的影响而来的；传授我这艺术的更不是鸟儿的歌声和羽毛；当我在你的山谷，阿斯克拉啊牧羊的时候，我没有看见过格丽奥和格主奥的姊妹们，经验是我的导师：听从有心得的诗人的教诲吧。真实，这就是我要唱的；帮助我吧，阿谟尔我的母亲！走得远些，你轻盈的细带，贞节的象征，而你，曳地的长衣，你将我们的贵妇们的纤足遮住了一半！我们要唱的是没有危险的欢乐和得到允许的偷香窃玉；我的诗是没有一点可以责备的。
   愿意投到维纳斯的旗帜下学习的人，其一，你应当留心去寻找你的恋爱对象；其二，你应当留心去勾引你所爱的女子；其三，要使这爱情维持得久长。这就是我的范围，这就是我的马车要跑的跑道；这就是那应当达到的目的。
II：How to Find Her
   While you’re still free，and can roam on a loose rein，pick one to whom you could say “You alone please me” . She won’t come falling for you out of thin air：the right girl has to be searched for：use your eyes. The hunter knows where to spread nets for the stag，he knows what valleys hide the angry boar：the wild-fowler knows the woods：the fisherman knows the waters where the most fish spawn：You too，who search for the essence of lasting love，must be taught the places that the girls frequent. I don’t demand you set your sails，and search，or wear out some long road to discover them. Perseus brought Andromeda from darkest India，and Trojan Paris snatched his girl from Greece，Rome will grant you lots of such lovely girls，you’ll say：“Here’s everything the world has had. ” Your Rome’s as many girls as Gargara’s sheaves，as Methymna’s grapes，as fishes in the sea，as birds in the hidden branches，stars in the sky：Venus，Aeneas’s mother，haunts his city. If you’d catch them very young and not yet grown，real child-brides will come before your eyes：if it’s young girls you want，thousands will please you. You’ll be forced to be unsure of your desires：if you delight greatly in older wiser years，here too，believe me，there’s an even greater crowd.
2.如何找到她
   当你的思想一无羁绊，任意驰骋的时候，你可以去选一个女子对她说“只有你才是我最怜爱的人儿”。她是不会乘着一阵舒爽的风儿从天上吹下来的；你最中意的美人是应当用你的眼睛去寻找的。猎人很明白他应该在什么地方张开捕鹿的网，他很清楚在哪一个山谷中有野猪的巢穴。捕鸟的人认识那有利于他捕猎的树林，而渔夫也不会不知道哪一条河中的鱼最多。你也如此，要找一个长久的爱情的目标，也就是首先应该知道在哪里才能够遇到许多少女。要去找她们，你也用不着坐船去航海，也不用到远方去旅行。拜尔塞斯从熏黑的印度人中找到了他的昂德萝美黛。弗里基阿人掠到了一个希腊女子；我很愿意这样。但是单单是一个罗马就已经能够给你一位同样美丽的女子了，而且还如此的多，使你不得不承认说：“我们的城中有世界上最美的人。”正如迦尔迦拉丰收的麦穗，麦丁那盛产的葡萄，海洋里有鱼，树林里有鸟，天上有星一样，在你所居住的罗马，也一样拥有如此众多年轻漂亮的女人；阿谟尔的母亲已在她热爱的艾耐阿斯城中定居了。假如你迷恋那些青春年少又正在发育的美女，一个真正无瑕的少女就会使你感到满意；假如你喜欢年纪大一点的，成千上万的少妇都会使你欢心，而你便会有选择的困难了。或许一个中年有经验的妇人在你看来是格外有情趣的，那么，请相信我，这种人是非常多的。