Sulpicia

Sulpicia was a Latin poetess, believed to be the author, in the first century BC, of six short poems (some 40 lines in all) which were published as part of the corpus of Albius Tibullus's poetry (III, 13–18). She is one of the few female writers of ancient Rome by whom some work survives. Quotes Tandem venit amor, qualem texisse pudori  quam nudasse alicui sit mihi, Fama, magis. At last has come a love which, Rumour, it would shame me more to hide than to disclose to any one. Elegidia, I, 1 (tr. F. W. Cornish) Exoluit promissa Venus: mea gaudia narret,  dicetur si quis non habuisse sua. What Venus promised she hath fulfilled. Let my joys be told by all of whom 'tis said that they have missed their own. Elegidia, I, 5 (tr. F. W. Cornish) Sed peccasse iuvat, vultus componere famae  taedet: cum digno digna fuisse ferar. Nay, I love my fault, and loathe to wear a mask for rumour. Let all hear that we have met, each worthy of the other. Elegidia, I, 9 (tr. F. W. Cornish) Ne tibi sim, mea lux, aeque iam fervida cura  ac videor paucos ante fuisse dies,si quicquam tota commisi stulta iuventa  cuius me fatear paenituisse magis,hesterna quam te solum quod nocte reliqui  ardorem cupiens dissimulare meum. My life, let me be no more to thee so hot a passion as few days ago methinks I was, if in my whole youth I have done any deed of folly of which I would own I have repented more, than leaving thee yesternight alone, through desire to hide the fire within me. Elegidia, VI (tr. F. W. Cornish) About Nowe, after my dome,Dame Sulpicia at Rome,Whose name regystred wasFor euer in tables of bras,Because that she dyd pasIn poesy to endyte,And eloquently to wryte,Though she wolde pretendeMy sparowe to commende,I trowe she coude not amendeReportynge the vertues allOf my sparowe royall. John Skelton, The Boke of Phyllyp Sparowe (c. 1545), 148–158 Somewhat awkward in expression, they are remarkable for their candor. Norbert Gutterman, A Book of Latin Quotations (1966), p. 203; on the "love notes" to Cerinthus External links Category:Poets from Rome Category:Latin literature Category:Women authors from Italy