In Amores I.viii, Ovid writes the longest direct speech from any female character in the whole book. It comes not from one of the beautiful young women who are the poet's lovers or potential lovers, but from an elderly procuress and "witch" advising such a girl. The witch is called Dipsas.

Dipsas serves two principal functions. First, she provides some variety in a a series of love poems which are often rather similar in subject, style and range of characters. Second, she provides a foil for the poet, who is always giving advice to similarly silent girls in the same manner. It is often rather similar advice to that of the poet, since Ovid is encouraging the girl to be unfaithful to her husband and using many of the same arguments, such as the "carpe diem" trope that she will not be young and beautiful for long.

Dipsas, however, differs from the poet in her mercenary motivation and focus. Much of her long speech is taken up with advice about selecting a wealthy lover, then ensuring that he gives you as many valuable presents as possible. The girl should then be grateful to Dipsas and share the wealth with her. Ovid makes his own advice to girls sound more disinterested and less sordid by comparison. He is motivated, if not exactly by love, at least not by money. He is also able to establish Dipsas as an adversary. He is not wealthy himself, and is therefore not the type of lover Dipsas advises the girl to take.