An Interpretation of the Poetry of Propertius C. 50-15 B.c. (Studies in Classics)

This book aims at providing a brief but comprehensive introduction to the poetry of Propertius, one of the major writers of the Augustan era. A study of backgrounds to Propertius notes the qualities Pound found in him - humour, devotion to his craft, a very special use of language - as well as stressing the importance of Callimachus and the status of Roman women. Callimachus provided Propertius with a congenial aesthetic of the short poem, erudition, craftsmanship and innovation; the latter is found in the Cynthia poems. In Propertius, the primacy of Cynthia is assured: Cynthis prima are his first two words. What makes it possible to write endlessly about Cynthia is the fact that her self is forever changing, being virago, wronged woman, mistress, wife, faithful Penelope, deserted Ariadne; while Propertius is her slave. This concern with love ensured that for long Propertius avoided political topics, but in his last book (4) he writes of politics, and, in particular, of the battle of Actium in language that is radically defamiliarising.