Tibullus 2.4

Hic mihi seruitium uideo dominamque :

iam , libertas illa paterna, uale.

 sed triste datur, teneorque ,

et numquam misero uincla remittit ,

et seu quid merui seu nil peccauimus, urit.                  5

uror, io, remoue, saeua puella, faces.

o ego tales sentire dolores,

quam esse lapis,

stare uel insanis cautes obnoxia ,

naufraga uasti unda maris!         10

nunc et amara dies et noctis amarior umbra est:

omnia nam tristi tempora felle madent.

nec prosunt elegi nec carminis auctor :

illa pretium flagitat usque manu.

ite procul, Musae, si non prodestis amanti:                15

non ego uos, ut bella , colo,

nec refero Solisque uias et qualis, ubi orbem

compleuit, Luna recurrit equis.

ad dominam faciles aditus per carmina quaero:

ite procul, Musae, si nihil ista ualent.                    20

at mihi per caedem et facinus sunt dona ,

flebilis ante domum:

aut rapiam suspensa sacris insignia fanis:

sed ante alios est .

illa malum facinus suadet dominamque rapacem     25

dat mihi: sacrilegas illa manus.

o legit uiridesque smaragdos

et niueam tingit ouem.

addit auaritiae causas et puellis

uestis et e Rubro lucida concha mari.                   30

haec fecere malas: hinc clauim ianua sensit

et coepit custos liminis esse canis.

sed pretium si grande , custodia

nec prohibent claues et canis ipse tacet.

heu quicumque dedit formam caelestis auarae,       35

quale bonum multis attulit ille malis!

hinc fletus rixaeque sonant, haec denique causa

fecit ut infamis nunc deus  Amor

at , quae uictos excludis amantes,

eripiant partas uentus et ignis opes:                    40

quin tua tunc iuuenes spectent incendia laeti,

nec quisquam flammae sedulus aquam.

seu ueniet tibi mors, nec erit qui ullus

nec qui det maestas munus in exsequias.

at bona nec auara fuit, centum licet        45

, ardentem flebitur ante rogum:

atque aliquis senior ueteres ueneratus amores

annua constructo serta dabit tumulo

et ‘bene’ discedens dicet ‘placideque ,

terraque sit super ossa leuis.’                  50

, sed prosunt quid mihi uera?

illius est amor.

quin etiam sedes iubeat si uendere auitas,

ite sub titulumque, Lares.

quidquid habet Circe, quidquid Medea ,           55

quidquid et herbarum Thessala terra gerit,

et quod, ubi indomitis gregibus Venus adflat amores,

hippomanes cupidae stillat ab inguine equae,

si modo me placido Nemesis mea ,

mille alias herbas misceat illa, bibam.                   60

Chained Prometheus (1642-1650) Jacques de l’Ange  Within the first three lines of Tibullus’ poem, the theme of servitium amoris, the slavery of love is introduced, and the imagery is sustained by words such as vincla, domina, and catenis. 

The imagery around Tibullus’ desires, much the same as his depiction of love as bondage, is beautiful and pointed. Gustave Courbet (1870) The Waterspout

Here, the reference to Venus more likely stands as a representation of her shrine than a reference to the goddess, herself. Within that context, we can then understand the anger as a response to the plundering of the temple that has by extension violated Venus.

In the ancient world, Purple was used to denote distinction and honor but was also associated with luxury because producing purple dye was a laborious and expensive process. Purple dye was made using a particular sea snail abundant in the region of Tyre, thus the color was deemed ‘Tyrian purple.’ Dolce Far Niente (1906) John William Godward

Coan silk, rather than silk in general, was not only a mark of luxury but also was an accepted way by which to sensualize both poetry and paintings. As pictured here, Coan silk was particularly popular material due to its transparent nature. Athenais (1908) John William Godward

These words may at first seem disconnected from the preceding lines, but they are best understood as returning to the main subject of the poem. Likely, the warning of moneo is directed towards Nemesis in yet another attempt to make her change her ways. You’ll remember earlier that Tibullus lamented over the ineffectiveness of his poetry and of the gods, so these words were probably of no avail either. The Roman Widow Gabriel Rossetti (1874)