
Propertius is a poet of the Augustan period, a successor of the great Hellenistic elegiac poets Callimachus and Philitas, and a precursor of Ovid. His account of his fictionalized affair with his beloved alter ego Cynthia is the purest expression of the spirit of love elegy, setting them as a pair against war, epic, and (apparently) Augustus himself. This is an author read by virtually all students of Classical Latin. Cynthia provides a lucid attempt to understand and correct the many difficulties in the transmitted text. It consists of a commentary on the whole corpus, together with a prose translation (including alternative versions of ambiguous phrasing). In its clear exposition of technical problems, the book will serve as an introduction to Latin textual criticism in the modern age, and to elegiac poetic style.
How can the complex and often corrupted transmitted text of the Augustan poet Propertius be accurately interpreted and corrected for modern readers? S. J. Heyworth, a scholar of Classical Latin, utilizes his expertise in philology and textual criticism to provide a comprehensive commentary on the entire Propertian corpus. By addressing linguistic ambiguities and manuscript errors, the author establishes a framework for understanding the poet's elegiac style and the historical context of his work.
What You Will Find
Scope Limits
Scholars and students of Classical Latin frequently cite this work as a foundational resource for navigating the technical difficulties of Propertius's manuscripts. Experts highlight the clarity of the author's exposition, making it a standard reference for those learning the rigors of modern textual criticism.
Page Count:
650
Publication Date:
2008-01-01
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0191527920
ISBN-13:
9780191527920
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