He was a friend of the poets gallus and virgil and, with them, had as his patron maecenas and, through maecenas, the emperor augustus. Full text of the elegies of propertius, with notes. It contains poems composed probably between 20 and 16 bce. Scholars still debate over the relations of propertius with augustus and the principate.
A commentary on propertius, book 3 bryn mawr classical. Project muse the complete elegies of sextus propertius. In this authoritative edition of propertius s elegies, l. Many of the poems here pay tribute to cynthia, propertius s romantic obsession, but the scope of these 107 elegies is broad. Long neglected because of the obscurity of his thought and the vagaries of his syntax, propertius has now emerged as a writer of compelling originality and intellectual power. Born in assisi about 50 bce, sextus propertius moved as a young man to rome, where he came into contact with a coterie of poets, including virgil, tibullus, horace, and ovid. Addressed to tullus, nephew of lucius volcacius tullus, consul 33 and proconsul of asia 3029 addressed to ponticus, an epic poet. Propertius stayed at the periphery of this literary circle until the late 20s bce.
The poet announces in the introductory elegy that he is entering new terrain by composing etiological poetry and, in fact, the book at first sight, a curious but wellarranged mixture of love. The books 2 and 3 of his elegies were thus composed when he was under maecenass protection lee, propertius, p. The 22 poems of sextus propertius first book of elegies published in 28 b. It also belongs to a strong renewal of propertian scholarship. Gregory hutchinson now adds a detailed commentary on book 4. Propertius elegies latin texts and commentaries, book 4 propertius, sextus, connor, w. Scholars engaged in the study of propertius or, for that matter, of roman poetry in general are now able to consult fullscale and highclass notes on all the poems of the umbrian callimachus 4. Propertius s poetry offers a fascinating look into life in the augustan age, addressing social, political, and historical subjects. A commentary on propertius, book 3 published on by oxford university press. Of all the great classical love poets, propertius, alive around 5010 bce, is surely one of those with most immediate appeal for readers today. The bronze statue replaced an ancient maple statue supposed to have been brought to rome in the time of romulus. Tatius encircled this hill with a maplewood palisade, and ringed his camp securely with mounds of earth.
Publication of his first book brought immediate recognition and the unwavering support of. This detailed commentary, with introduction and new text, provides much new material for approaching this important work. Fedelis commentaries on books 1 and 3 had appeared in 1980 and 1985 respectively. A paraphrastic commentary on every poem as in the same authors work on. After books focused on his mistress cynthia, he maintains his elegiac role but expands his range to provide a lovers commentary on life, discussing luxury, nudity, art, the. But it is a voice that has been shaped and controlled by a literary tradition.
I hoc, quodcumque uides, hospes, qua maxima roma est, ante phrygem aenean collis et herba fuit. Love and poetry are the two main themes of his elegies, but the poet can also deal with some contemporary political themes or events. Heyworth, 9780199571499, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. The elegies of book 3 deal with a larger variety of themes, especially with political subjects like augustus, the battle of actium and other military or political matters. After books focused on his mistress cynthia, he maintains his elegiac role but expands his range to provide a lovers commentary on life, discussing luxury, nudity, art, the empire, and the dangers of travel for profit and war. Elegies commentary propertius sextus propertius oxford. Propertius 1 translated with introduction, literary. Propertius fourth book is his most challenging and innovative. He was friends with the poets gallus and virgil, and had with them as his patron maecenas, and through maecenas, the emperor sextus aurelius propertius was a latin elegiac poet who was born around 5045 bce in mevania though other cities of umbria also claim this dignityhespillus. As a whole, this new edition and commentary of book 4 is most welcome. A new edition and commentary on book 4 of propertius is thus always most welcome.
W wikipedia citation please see wikipedias template documentation for further citation fields that may be required. Propertius fourth book is a spectacular, and bewildering, creation, unlike anything else in augustan poetry. Ill tell of the tarpeian grove, and tarpeias shameful tomb, and the capture of jupiters ancient threshold. Richardson, jr, makes these challenging poems both. Top american libraries canadian libraries universal library community texts project gutenberg biodiversity heritage library childrens library. The introduction discusses the background, elegies and times of propertius, as well as other issues being gender and genre in propertius, the influence of callimachus, hellenistic and other poetry on him, augustine. In recent years, teachers of propertius were able to share with their students camps commentaries on individual books book 4 in 1965, then richardsons useful commentary covering all four. Bassus was probably an iambic lampoonist, ovid, tristia 4. The statue of vortumnus signum vortumni stood in a simple shrine located at the vicus tuscus near the forum. Prologue poem, addressed to tullus addressed to cynthia addressed partially to cynthia, partially to third party addressed to bassus, possibly the poet of iambics mentioned by ovid addressed to afriend named gallus. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. His helpless infatuation for the sinister figure of his mistress cynthia forms the main subject of his poetry and is analyzed with a tormented but witty grandeur in all its changing moods. This book is an edition of and commentary on propertius book 4, by the oxonian scholar gregory hutchinson. To the novice on the classics scene in britain, these details might baffle, but heyworth and.
Here, whatever you see, stranger, which is now mighty rome, before trojan aeneas was hills and grass. In their preface to their new commentary on propertius book 3, heyworth and morwood give a narrative about how and why the commentary came to be. Propertiuss last book 4 must have been published after a. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. In recent years, teachers of propertius were able to share with their students camps commentaries on individual books book 4 in 1965, then richardsons useful commentary covering all four books 1978. This edition of propertius consists of an introduction, a selection of poems in latin, a commentary, two maps and a vocabulary. Tarpeian jupiter thundered from a bare cliff, and tiber was foreign to. The most passionate, individual, and controversial of the latin love elegists, propertius in book 3 covers a broad range of subject matter and a vast geographical reach. The greek commentaries on the nicomachean ethics of aristotle.
Propertius s last book 4 must have been published after a considerable lapse of time. Sitting twelfth in a twentyfour poem collection, it negotiates the readers passage into the second half of the book and it does so by introducing what must seem at first glance a new kind of elegiac woman and, indeed, a new kind of propertian elegy. Throughout propertius first three books, the poetlover is the predominant speaker. Buy a commentary on propertius, book 3 by heyworth, s. Properti liber qvartvs 25 commentary 59 bibliography 250 indexes 253 1. Sextus propertius was a latin elegiac poet of the augustan age. Propertius refers to a bronze statue of vortumnus made by the legendary mamurius veturius, who was also credited with the twelve ritual shields of mars priests the salii. Propertius, with a full commentary, and an introduction. Book iv in particular offers problems of great interest to the student of literature. He was born around 5045 bc in assisium and died shortly after 15 bc propertius surviving work comprises four books of elegies elegiae.
Main text users without a subscription are not able to see the full content. Scholars engaged in the study of propertius or, for that matter, of. Propertius elegies latin texts and commentaries, book 4. The narrative is full of details resonant of rich traditions. It belongs to the socalled green and yellow collection of the cambridge university press, which regularly includes very extensive and uptodate works.
Propertius surviving work comprises four books of elegies. In recent years, teachers of propertius were able to share with their students camps commentaries on individual books book 4 in 1965, then richardsons useful commentary covering all four books. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Love is not the unique subject of propertius four surviving books of elegiesthe elegiac form was capable of other subjects than lovebut it is his love poems that are the most interesting. Although propertius was not as renowned in his own time. Love and poetry are the two main themes of his elegies, but the poet can also deal with contemporary political themes or events.