Propertius
Key background info about Propertius. Why is it so important?
His patron was Maecenas and, through Maecenas, the emperor Augustus.
Poem Main messages Themes Pro-Augustus (give examples please) Anti-Augustus? Key quotes (pick 2 or 3)
Elegies - The poet is looking Imperator - Praises Augustus as a God- yet he Propertius is patriotic in ‘Caesar, our god, plots
3.4 forward to the victory Divinity is not. Emphasis on the type of his own way- he infers war against rich India’-
Augustus will have over Military Imperator he is. that he would rather Propertius refers to
War and the Parthians. - He praises the return of the watch the peace that Caesar (Augustus) as a
peace - There is an emphasis on standards to Rome. was brought to Rome god, yet he is not one.
wealth and material gains than participate: ‘then This emphasises his
20 BC that will come from the I’ll begin to look, role as an Imperator.
strength of Augustus. pressing my dear girl’s Mentioning India
- Augustus is plotting a war breast’. emphasises the wide
and will bring the extent of his power and
Parthians under control. especially against a
- Propertius is happy for wealthy empire.
there to be peace and
prosperity in Rome yet ‘Let it be eternal, this
does not want to head that survives from
participate in gaining this Aeneas’ line’- Reminds
peace. us of Anenas’ divine
descent and hoping he
will be worshipped as
an immortal.
Elegies - The poem is referencing Imperator- - Propertius contrasts Antony as Propertius mentions ‘Truly that whore, queen
3.11 women's power, Augustus is vulgar and repulsive to Augustus civil war in the poetry of incestuous Canopus’-
Cleopatra, and Roman able to rise who is morally correct and righteous. despite Augustus This refers to Cleopatra
Woman’s victory. against the This presents him as a better leader. wanting to stop civil war and an ancient Egyptian
power - Propertius has been forces of - Propertius references many people as the empire had been city. We learn of the
enslaved by love for a Cleopatra and and places to show the extent to his through too much of it- poets disgust for
23 BC woman and is powerless. raise the knowledge of the world as well as ‘sowed civil war in the Cleopatra referring to
He compares himself to country to what Augustus has brought to the warrior- bearing soil’. her in a derogatory way
multiple heroes that have victory. empire. as well as what trouble
also had the same fate - Propertius makes the reader feel as Propertius sympathises she has brought to the
with women (Jason, Actium- There though Augustus has directly with Augustus as he empire, yet Augustus
Key background info about Propertius. Why is it so important?
His patron was Maecenas and, through Maecenas, the emperor Augustus.
Poem Main messages Themes Pro-Augustus (give examples please) Anti-Augustus? Key quotes (pick 2 or 3)
Elegies - The poet is looking Imperator - Praises Augustus as a God- yet he Propertius is patriotic in ‘Caesar, our god, plots
3.4 forward to the victory Divinity is not. Emphasis on the type of his own way- he infers war against rich India’-
Augustus will have over Military Imperator he is. that he would rather Propertius refers to
War and the Parthians. - He praises the return of the watch the peace that Caesar (Augustus) as a
peace - There is an emphasis on standards to Rome. was brought to Rome god, yet he is not one.
wealth and material gains than participate: ‘then This emphasises his
20 BC that will come from the I’ll begin to look, role as an Imperator.
strength of Augustus. pressing my dear girl’s Mentioning India
- Augustus is plotting a war breast’. emphasises the wide
and will bring the extent of his power and
Parthians under control. especially against a
- Propertius is happy for wealthy empire.
there to be peace and
prosperity in Rome yet ‘Let it be eternal, this
does not want to head that survives from
participate in gaining this Aeneas’ line’- Reminds
peace. us of Anenas’ divine
descent and hoping he
will be worshipped as
an immortal.
Elegies - The poem is referencing Imperator- - Propertius contrasts Antony as Propertius mentions ‘Truly that whore, queen
3.11 women's power, Augustus is vulgar and repulsive to Augustus civil war in the poetry of incestuous Canopus’-
Cleopatra, and Roman able to rise who is morally correct and righteous. despite Augustus This refers to Cleopatra
Woman’s victory. against the This presents him as a better leader. wanting to stop civil war and an ancient Egyptian
power - Propertius has been forces of - Propertius references many people as the empire had been city. We learn of the
enslaved by love for a Cleopatra and and places to show the extent to his through too much of it- poets disgust for
23 BC woman and is powerless. raise the knowledge of the world as well as ‘sowed civil war in the Cleopatra referring to
He compares himself to country to what Augustus has brought to the warrior- bearing soil’. her in a derogatory way
multiple heroes that have victory. empire. as well as what trouble
also had the same fate - Propertius makes the reader feel as Propertius sympathises she has brought to the
with women (Jason, Actium- There though Augustus has directly with Augustus as he empire, yet Augustus
