Ludovicus van Leuven, Amoris divini et humani antipathia (1629)

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Fragilitas Amoris [38]


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76 ↓
Fragilitas Amoris.translation
XXXVIII.
Dion.
PVdicæ est, non modò vt ne quid peccet, sed ne
suspicionem quidem vllam turpem de se præ-
beat. idcirco translation

Ouid.
Cat.
-- -Famam seruare memento,
Quâ semel amissâ postea nullus eris.
Non Vitium tantum, sed quæ vitiosa videntur,
Hæc quoque si sapias, hæc quoque virgo fuge:
Nec satis esse puta quod sis tibi conscia recti:
Tunc quoque cum mens est integra, fama perit.
Saucia nux, aliqua si parte putamina perdat,
Postea quidquid agas, semper hiatus erit.
Si pereat miseris semel integra fama puellis,
Lædaturus sacer virginitatis honos:
Tu licet inde velis famæ sarcire ruinam.
Non iterum veniet, qui fuit antè, decor.
Obducas licet usque cutem, manet vsque cicatrix,
Vtque tegas, semper vulnera vulnus habent. translation

Vti fama amantium puellarum tenerrima est,
& quam facillimè læditur, & semel lesa, ægrè ad-
modum reparari potest. sic Amor quorumuis a-
mantium tenerrimus est, similis vitro, quod cum
semel ruptum est, licet reficiatur, semper aliqua
parua fissura manet. translation

[76a] ↓


Nulla reparabilis arte. translation

Difficile est le retour,
Aux ruptures de l'amour.

77 ↓
Fragilitéde l'Amour.
XXXVIII.
S'il est vray, que l'Amour peut faire par sa flame,
Que de deux cœurs vnis resulte vne seule ame,
Si bien que chascun deux n'en soit que la moitie;
Peut estre, ne peut il, quoy qu' il veuille ou qu' il fasse,
(Si iamais il aduient que l'vn des deux se casse)
Rallier les morceaux, reioindre l'amitie.

Es tan delicado Amor
Que es muy facil de quebrar
Y difficil de soldar.

Als 's liefden pant eens breeckt oft kraeckt/
'T en cā soo licht niet sijn hermaeckt.

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Translations

Fragility of love.
It is the hallmark of a chaste girl not only that she does not commit sin, but that she not even gives reason to suspect her of having done something shameful. Therefore:
Remember to preserve your reputation
Once you have lost it you will be a nobody.
Not only vice, but what seems to be a vice, these also if you are wise, these also, maiden, you have to shun.
Do not think it enough that you yourself know you have done right
Also then, while the heart is unblemished, the reputation is gone.
If a damaged nut loses any part of its shell,
There will always be, whatever you may do, a hole.
If to their misery the spotless reputation is lost to girls
The honour of their virginity is bound to suffer.
Even if you wanted to prop up the ruin of a reputation
The charm that previously existed will not return.
Just as the reputation of girls in love is very vulnerable and is very easily damaged!, and once it has been damaged it is very difficult to repair, so the love of any amorous boy is extremely vulnerable, like glass, that once it is broken will, even if it is repaired, always retain a small crack.
No expertise can repair it.

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Sources and parallels


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