The new verb tego, that has an initial feeling of ‘conceal’ (Dated s.v. tego 1), appear to setting ‘clothe’ (Dated s.v. tego step three) and you can clearly includes this resonance within the indicated juxtaposition having nudasse, of nudo, ‘create nude, divest’ (Dated s.v. nudo step one). The new poem and thus announces ‘dress’ – or rather ‘undress’ – given that an excellent polyvalent contour for Sulpicia’s elegiac poetics. According to the amatory program of modern Latin elegy Sulpicia rights sexual, socially quit strip down more recognized, socially conformist dress particularly create suit see your face she ‘places on’ to possess neighborhood, as she says regarding poem’s finally couplet (vultus componere famae | taedet, 
‘I am tired of creating a nose and mouth mask to have rumour,’ step three.13.9–10). By the saying through the metaphor from disrobing the girl intent to place the girl amatory passages on the movement, Sulpicia combines a couple of seem to compared
Weighed against the newest nakedness regarding elegy’s patron goddess Amor and you can the unlock sincerity of your elegiac poet-spouse, concurrently, stands brand new elegiac mistress’s conventional passion for magnificent attire and you can high priced decoration
193 Sartorial Attractiveness and Poetic Finesse from the Sulpician Corpus elegiac skirt requirements. Propertius, instance, rebukes their mistress on her need for high priced dresses and also make-with the fresh new observation your nude goodness will not appreciate artificially increased charm (nudus Amor formae non amat artificem, 1.dos.8). Also Ovid argues you to definitely, even if he may do not have the riches and you can highest ancestry so you’re able to charm his mistress, almost every other functions – and their blameless reputation, open honesty, and you will blushing modesty – is to commend him so you’re able to the woman (Am. 1.step three.7–14): lorsque me personally low veterum commendant magna parentum nomina, lorsque nostri sanguinis auctor eques, nec meus innumeris repus aratris, temperat et sumptus parcus uterque parens: at the Phoebus comitesque novem vitisque repertor hac faciunt ainsi que me et celle-ci tibi donat Amor ainsi que nulli cessura fides, sine crimine mores, nudaque simplicitas purpureusque pudor. In case your higher brands off my personal dated ancestors don’t suggest me, should your writer of our ancestry try a keen equestrian, nor is actually my estate revived with some ploughs, each mother frugally husbands expenses, still Apollo, the fresh new 9 Muses, their friends, and you can Dionysus, discoverer of one’s vine, just take my area and additionally Like just who brings us to you, respect that will submit to not one, a nature without blemish, open honesty, and blushing modesty.
Ovid right here elaborates this new ethical from Propertius step one.2.twelve so you’re able to articulate a match up between brand new elegiac poet’s very humble updates therefore the elegiac partner’s naked emotion, and then he may thereby imply that the fresh new elegiac poet-lover pursue Amor’s example when you look at the eschewing fancy dress. Propertius refers to their girlfriend dressed up in all the lady finery (step 1.dos.1–6): quid iuvat ornato procedere, vita, capillo et tenuis Coa veste movere sinus, aut quid Orontea crinis perfundere murra, teque peregrinis vendere muneribus, naturaeque decus mercato perdere cultu, nec sinere for the propriis membra nitere bonis?
Towards one-hand, nudity ‘s the characteristic attribute regarding Amor, tutelary goddess out of Latin sexual elegy and you may patron of elegiac poetlover
194 Alison Keith As to why, living, might you glee simply to walk aside along with your locks styled and you will rustle the newest slender retracts of your own Coan clothes, or to soak your own hair having Syrian myrrh market oneself for international merchandise, marring their pure beauty by purchasing adornment rather than making it possible for your own limbs to help you shine using their inherent charms?
Myrrh and you can Coan ‘silk’ was costly east deluxe imports during the Rome, the former a keen Arabian commodity readily available thanks to Syrian change, aforementioned put on the area off Cos because of the rotating the fresh filaments out-of a good caterpillar just as the Chinese silkworm.1 Due to the fact Coan cotton has also been almost transparent (cf. Hor. Seated. step one.2.101–103), they advertised the brand new wearer’s sexual supply (an element that, paradoxically, aligns new elegist’s spouse which have Amor). this new poem’s concluding range, taedia dum miserae sint tibi luxuriae, ‘provided their wretched privileges prove tedious for your requirements,’ 1.dos.32), the guy in other places asserts your subtlety regarding her dress drives his slight elegiac verse (dos.step one.3–8): non haec Calliope, non haec mihi cantat Apollo, ingenium nobis ipsa puella facit. sive illam Cois fulgentem incedere †cogis† hac totum age Coa veste volumen erit; seu vidi advertising frontem sparsos errare capillos, gaudet laudatis ire superba comis; Calliope cannot play such songs to me, nor Apollo. My personal spouse furnishes our desire. For people who force the lady to go into glowing in the Coan silks, my whole regularity usually step out into the Coan raiment; or if I have seen her drifting with her locks spread over this lady temple, she rejoices and you will walks away arrogantly when I’ve acknowledged the woman hairdo.
