Of the Greek and Latin love poets, Propertius (c. 50-10 B.C.) is one of those who holds the most immediate appeal for the twentieth-century reader. 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--from ecstasy to suicidal despair. This study includes English verse translations of his work, along with a chronology, explanatory notes, and a brief bibliography.
Vincent Katz offers translations of all 107 known poems by the Augustan poet Sextus Propertius, a contemporary of Ovid. The translations keep as closely as possible to the original syntax, as Propertius' willful compressions & unusual tellings of myth are definitive of his poetics.
These ardent, even obsessed, poems about erotic passion are among the brightest jewels in the crown of Latin literature. Written by Propertius, Rome's greatest poet of love, who was born around 50 b.c., a contemporary of Ovid, these elegies tell of Propertius' tormented relationship with a woman he calls "Cynthia." Their connection was sometimes blissful, more often agonizing, but as the poet came to recognize, it went beyond pride or shame to become the defining event of his life. Whether or not it was Propertius' explicit intention, these elegies extend our ideas of desire, and of the human condition itself.
The ancient Greek hymnic tradition translated beautifully and accessibly. The hymn—as poetry, as craft, as a tool for worship and philosophy—was a vital art form throughout antiquity. Although the Homeric Hymns have long been popular, other equally important collections have not been readily accessible to students eager to learn about ancient poetry. In reading hymns, we also gain valuable insight into life in the classical world. In this collection, early Homeric Hymns of uncertain authorship appear along with the carefully wrought hymns of the great Hellenistic poet and courtier Callimachus; the mystical writings attributed to the legendary poet Orpheus, written as Christianity was taking over the ancient world; and finally, the hymns of Proclus, the last great pagan philosopher of antiquity, from the fifth century AD, whose intellectual influence throughout western culture has been profound. Greek Poems to the Gods distills over a thousand years of the ancient Greek hymnic tradition into a single volume. Acclaimed translator Barry B. Powell brings these fabulous texts to life in English, hewing closely to the poetic beauty of the original Greek. His superb introductions and notes give readers essential context, making the hymns as accessible to a beginner approaching them for the first time as to an advanced student continuing to explore their secrets. Brilliant illustrations from ancient art enliven and enrichen the experience of reading these poems.
A radical new edition of the Augustan poet Propertius, based on the latest research into the manuscript tradition. The English preface contains important comments on the way texts are edited and read. Some important emendations discovered in the papers of A. E. Housman are published here for the first time.
Tibullus is considered one of the finest exponents of Latin lyric in the golden age of Rome, during the Emperor Augustus’s reign, and his poetry retains its enduring beauty and appeal. Together these works provide an important document for anyone who seeks to understand Roman culture and sexuality and the origins of Western poetry. • The new translation by Rodney Dennis and Michael Putnam conveys to students the elegance and wit of the original poems. • Ideal for courses on classical literature, classical civilization, Roman history, comparative literature, and the classical tradition and reception. • The Latin verses will be printed side-by-side with the English text. • Explanatory notes and a glossary elucidate context and describe key names, places, and events. • An introduction by Julia Haig Gaisser provides the necessary historical and social background to the poet’s life and works. • Includes the poems of Sulpicia and Lygdamus, transmitted with the text of Tibullus and formerly ascribed to him.
The Latin poet Propertius (ca. 50–16 B.C.) is considered by many to be the greatest elegiac poet of Rome. 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. In this authoritative edition of Propertius’s elegies, L. Richardson, jr, makes these challenging poems both intelligible and accessible. For students of literature and history alike, Propertius offers insights into the intellectual world of Augustan Rome and Roman society. His perplexities and frustrations, his struggles with himself and with his domineering and capricious mistress Cynthia, and his exhilarations and depressions all strike a surprisingly familiar chord for the modern reader. Through an in-depth introduction and explanatory notes, Richardson strives to make the poems as readable as possible, at the same time examining the complexities and textual difficulties of the texts. Each elegy is accompanied by an introductory note providing a literary interpretation of the poem, followed by full and detailed commentary.
"Propertius is a poet of singular boldness and originality. It is, perhaps, fitting that he have a translator to match. . .. The results justify his approach. McCulloch has remained faithful to the essential content, development, and tone of his originals. At the same time, by refusing rigid adherence tot he syntax and vocabulary of each poem, he has allowed himself the freedom to endow his versions with all the force and expressiveness that he has at his command. These are considerable, for he is a gifted poet. His versions possess a rapidity and piquancy unusual in translations. Some of his turns of phrase are quite arresting. In short, his translations are also poems in their own right." --Classical World This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press's mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1972.
