The Love Elegies of Sextus Propertius

Propertius (c.50 BC–c.15 BC), translated by Kline, A. S. (contact-email)

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Sextus Propertius, a Latin poet of the Augustan age, produced four books of Elegies noted for their exploration of love and Roman society. Born between 50–45 BC in Asisium (Assisi) and deceased after 15 BC, he was less celebrated than his peers during his lifetime but is now considered a significant literary figure. His poetic narrative, often centred on his muse Cynthia, reflects the emotional spectrum of relationships in elegiac couplets. The corpus, difficult to date precisely, delves into personal sentiments and social commentary. Propertius’s later work hinted at a new direction, scrutinising Rome’s mythological roots with a tone that some interpret as subtly critical of Emperor Augustus. The elegies, renowned for their complexity and rich allusions, have posed significant editorial challenges due to their linguistic idiosyncrasies and the corrupted state of the text.

Author Details

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Kline, A. S.

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