Propertius: Elegies: Book 1 (Bk.1) [Paperback]

Propertius (Author), W. A. Camps (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 29, 1977 | ISBN-10: 0521292107 | ISBN-13: 978-0521292108 | Edition: First edition & printing in this form

Propertius, though his works are small in volume, is one of the foremost poets of the Augustan age, and his writing has a certain appeal to modern tastes (witness the admiration of Ezra Pound). Book I is especially suitable for the reader wanting a representative selection of Propertius' poetry. It stands on its own, having appeared in the first place as a separate collection; it reflects a distinct phase of the poet's activity (and of his emotional development); and it is the book which made his reputation. This edition is designed for the pocket of the university student, but it should find a wider audience among classicists of all ages. The introduction provides the necessary historical and critical background and relates Book I to the rest of the elegies; the notes are helpful and to the point; and the text has a reasonable minimum of apparatus. There are no modern editions of this size and scope.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'Mr Camps's book will be useful in both schools and universities. He gives us a readable text, sensibly eclectic, a straightforward commentary, an introduction with a brief bibliography; the whole thing is admirably adapted to help the beginner in Propertius where he needs help and not to bother him with unnecessary minutiae ... I hope the book will be as widely used as it deserves to be.' Journal of Roman Studies

Language Notes

Text: Latin, English --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 116 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press; First edition & printing in this form edition (July 29, 1977)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521292107
• ISBN-13: 978-0521292108
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 4.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,606,694 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the best current edition of propertius in english, October 13, 2000

By 

Al Kihano (Iskandria) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Propertius, Elegies (Loeb Classical Library No. 18) (Hardcover)

This edition is the best, although I have it on good source that Oxford will be publishing a Propertius even better than this sometime in the next year. Propertius' poetry has the most modern feel of any Latin poet; read him and understand why Pound et al. loved him so.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent poetry, excellent commentary., March 21, 2006

By 

D. Lee (The Dalles, OR) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Propertius: Elegies: Book 1 (Bk.1) (Paperback)

This book contains the first book of poetry by Propertius with commentary in the back to help the reader with difficult grammar, ambiguous meaning, or other problems common within latin poetry.
Poetry: Propertius was an Augustan age poet, an elegist following somewhat in the footsteps of Catullus. He was a romantic, and most of his poetry either praises or complains about his girlfriend, Cynthia. Since he is a little less dirty than Catullus, he is slightly more suitable for serious study in the classroom, and I enjoyed his poetry very much. Latin students who enjoy Catullus or Horace would enjoy Propertius.
Commentary: Excellent. Propertius uses references to mythology that can be very obscure, but the notes delight in giving the background to the reader. I found the notes extremely helpful in my translation work and appreciated the depth of explanation for the ambiguous passages.
If you want to read Roman poetry, Propertius in particular, I highly reccommend this book.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Golden Poetry from the Golden Age, August 26, 2004

By 

Johannes Platonicus (South Bend, Indiana) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Propertius, Elegies (Loeb Classical Library No. 18) (Hardcover)

The elegies of Propertius were written during the peaceful and progressive age of Augustus. This Golden Age was the hallmark of Latin literature; it was an age where poets enjoyed idyllic leisure and generous funding for their works. Propertius belonged to the elite class of poets who wrote at the behest, and under the patronage of, the magnanimous Maecenus. Propertius thrived in this company of poets which comprised of masters like Horace and Virgil. Others too of his time were Tibullus, Catallus, and Ovid. For this reason, he is not as well known today as he should; he will always linger in their shadows, but majestically and with the piercing light of respect. The Elegies of Propertius are divided into four books according to their subject matter. Throughout the work, Propertius is primarily occupied with love poetry--with his more than likely fictitious mistress, Cynthia. At times he moves to different themes but his muse invariably takes him back to the "service of Venus." It would be detrimental for anyone who enjoys Latin poetry to pass this gem-of-a-volume up. Even for the lover of contemporary poetry, the Elegies contain strikingly modern elements agreeable to modern tastes; and this updated edition is rid of the linguistic archaisms found in the earlier Loeb editions. This is a must have for all poetry lovers.