The Love Elegies of Sextus Propertius

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

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

Sextus Propertius, a Latin elegiac poet of the Augustan age, was born in Assisium (now Assisi) around 50–45 BC and died shortly after 15 BC. His main body of work consists of four books of Elegies (Elegiae), defining him as a major poet.

Propertius’ life, primarily derived from his writings, suggests he was born into an affluent family in Umbria. He faced familial hardship with the death of his father and the subsequent loss of his estate during Octavian’s land allocations in 41BC. Despite this, he received an excellent education, illustrated by his extensive use of mythology in his poetry.

His first collection of love elegies, focusing on this real or imagined mistress ‘Cynthia’, was published circa 30BC. The work caught the attention of Maecenas, a prominent arts patron, who introduced Propertius to his circle of court poets. Propertius’ second and larger work - containing poems praising Maecenas and Augustus - may have been a compilation of two separate collections. His third and fourth books, published after 23BC and 16BC respectively, demonstrated a transition beyond love themes, incorporating Roman rites and landmarks, and suggesting a new direction in his poetry.

Propertius’ style is characterised by abrupt transitions and rich allusions, while his works occasionally indicate a latent opposition to the Imperial regime.

Propertius is viewed as a significant influence in literature, his themes resonating in the works of poets and writers from the Renaissance to modern times.

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Kline, A. S.

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