“Don't be so proud,” he says to Pholoe, “because it will boomerang. Just look at Marathus here, who used to be so cruel [to me] and now realizes his mistake [don't you, Marathus?!].” This poem, then, contains at least four different speeches: “Admit it, you're in love” (1–26); “Girl, make love to the boy” (27–66, 69–78); “Girl, don't be cruel” (55–66: Marathus’ lament, quoted by Tibullus); and, “Boy, make love with me!”
