Propertius 1.1 Notes Flashcards

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1
Q

Is this poem subjective?

A

Yes

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2
Q

Is this poem didactic?

A

Yes

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3
Q

Who is the teacher and who is this poem aimed at?

A

Propertius is the teacher who aims his poem at the innocent

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4
Q

Who has authority in this poem?

A

Propertius has authority because he is the teacher

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5
Q

The first four lines replicate what?

A

The opening of an epigram by Meleager

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6
Q

What does ‘prima’ suggest?

A

He speaks of an early love affair

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7
Q

Who was his first mistress?

A

Lycinna

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8
Q

What is significant about ‘cepit’?

A

Shows Cynthia is his first true love. Cannot be controlled

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9
Q

If his first mistress was Lycinna, why is he talking about Cynthia?

A

Suggests he has chosen to forget earlier entanglements or the force of ‘cepit’ is special

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10
Q

What technique is ‘miserum’?

A

Epithet

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11
Q

What does ‘miserum’ ask the audience to do?

A

Sympathise and take pity

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12
Q

Who is suggested should be feared?

A

Cynthia

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13
Q

‘Cepit’ with ‘ocellis’ gives what impression?

A

He was bewitched

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14
Q

What does ‘ocelli’ remind us of?

A

The evil eye and her eyes being a weapon

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15
Q

What else could ‘contactum’ suggest?

A

Pierced and corrupted

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16
Q

What does the plural ‘cupidinibus’ do?

A

Makes the noun hover between it’s proper and common form

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17
Q

What does line three suggest?

A

His pride is separate to his will

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18
Q

What does ‘deiecit’ suggest?

A

‘Dashed down’ or ‘cast eyes down in low importance’. A figurative use

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19
Q

What does he mean by pressing feet on his head?

A

Bowing his head (in submission)

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20
Q

What does he mean by chaste girls? What does this suggest?

A

Girls who are inaccessible so his advances were always refused by Cynthia

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21
Q

What does Propertius mean by ‘perversely’?

A

Amor has subdued Propertius so he should also subdue his lover but he does not. ‘Perversely’ is aimed at Amor for being ruthless and heartless

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22
Q

What does he mean by living without a plan?

A

Pursuing Cynthia means he abandons a life other than love. He has exhausted all resources of gaining love after being rejected and lives aimlessly

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23
Q

What case is ‘toto anno’ in? What is it expected to be in?

A

Expects accusative but is actually ablative

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24
Q

Why is Propertius referring to a year and the gods being against him?

A

It has been a year and the gods have not softened in relieving his infatuation or making Cynthia less obdurate

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25
Q

What is the story of Milanion and Atalanta in this poem?

A

Atalanta was nursed as an infant by a she-bear in Arcadia. She was a virgin huntress pursued by many. One day she ran into two centaurs (Rhoeteus and Hylaeus) who tried to violate her. Milanion came to her aid but was wounded by a stick wielded by Hylaeus. Seeing him lying wounded, Atalanta had a change of heart and is the ultimate proof of Milanion’s love

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26
Q

What is the Ovid version of the Milanion and Atalanta story?

A

Milanion was wounded by an arrow shot by Hylaeus

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27
Q

What is the more well-known version of this story?

A

Atalanta’s suitor is Hippomenes and the story is set in Boetia

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28
Q

Who was Tulle?

A

A nephew of L.Volcacius Tullus

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29
Q

Why has Propertius mentioned Tullus?

A

To dedicate him

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30
Q

What is thought about Tullus’ family?

A

Rich and powerful and from the same part of Italy as Propertius

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31
Q

What are the two meanings of ‘durae’?

A

‘Hard-hearted’ and ‘physically tough’

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32
Q

Who were Atalanta’s parents?

A

Iasus and Clymene

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33
Q

‘Modo et etiam’ is the only example of what in Classical Literature?

A

‘Modo’ not being answered by another ‘modo’ or an equivalent like ‘tum’ or ‘interdum’

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34
Q

What is unpleasant? How could it be corrected?

A

Repetition of ‘ille’. Correct ‘ille’ on line 12 to ‘saepe’

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35
Q

What is Parthenius?

A

A mountain

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36
Q

What could ‘videre’?

A

‘To face’

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37
Q

What is a Graecism? What is the Graecism?

A

A Greek idiom. Using the infinitive ‘videre’ instead of the supine as it would be in prose

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38
Q

With Hylaeus’ stick, what is significant here?

A

There is one genitive dependent on another

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39
Q

What technique is ‘Arcadiis rupibus’?

A

Dative or locative ablative or both

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40
Q

What is Atalanta’s most well-known characteristic?

A

Swift

41
Q

What is significant about using a perfect infinitive ‘potuit domuisse’?

A

‘He could tame’ is an archaism to emphasise the completeness of the action

42
Q

What are the ‘exploits’?

A

Devotion and heroism

43
Q

What could ‘valent’ mean?

A

‘Can count for’

44
Q

What does he mean by ‘love is slow in me’?

A

He is slow to assist and late coming

45
Q

Where is the slight paradox?

A

‘Cogitat artes’ as ‘art’ is something that can be taught like a skill not something that can be thought of as they go along

46
Q

‘Ut prius’ suggests who?

A

The age of heroes like Milanion

47
Q

What is typical of Propertius?

A

Abrupt transitions ‘at vos’

48
Q

What does the trick with the moon stand for?

A

Reference to witches who draw the moon from heaven and create eclipses with spells and incantations

49
Q

Which goddess was thought to descend the moon for ceremonies and designs?

A

Hecate the witch goddess

50
Q

What did the Romans think of Hecate, the moon and witchcraft?

A

It was a fraud

51
Q

‘Performing sacred rites’ might be what?

A

An idiom for speaking dark rites of divinities one does not name

52
Q

What is ‘mentem’?

A

Emotional and intellectual attitude

53
Q

What does it mean to be pale? (Not in terms of wealth)

A

Lovesickness

54
Q

‘Vobis’ is what case instead of the accusative?

A

Dative

55
Q

Where is Cytae?

A

A town in Colchis and the birthplace of Medea (enchantress)

56
Q

Where was Colchis?

A

Modern Georgia on the coast of the Black Sea. Just above Liberia

57
Q

What does ‘ducere’ mean here?

A

‘Govern’

58
Q

What does line 25 mean?

A

Crying a warning after the catastrophe can no longer be averted

59
Q

What is the heart here?

A

A seat for feelings and intelligence

60
Q

What does the knife and savage fires represent?

A

Surgery

61
Q

Where is his anger implicit?

A

Lines 5-6

62
Q

What does ‘per’ mean on line 29?

A

Beyond

63
Q

What technique is the phrase on line 31?

A

An idiom

64
Q

What is the meaning behind line 31?

A

He who has an easy ear will hear their prayers

65
Q

Which God is consenting?

A

Amor although it would normally be Juppiter

66
Q

What could ‘pares’ mean?

A

Well-matched

67
Q

What is the alternative for ‘old Venus’?

A

Venus whom we serve

68
Q

Who else could ‘Venus’ be referring to?

A

His mistress

69
Q

Where is there personification?

A

‘Amor is never idle or weary’

70
Q

What is ambiguous about line 35?

A

Is the ‘evil’ the unrequited love or Cynthia. We would assume Cynthia

71
Q

What does ‘cura’ refer to which is common in love poetry?

A

A girl (his sweetheart)

72
Q

What type of ablative phrases could line 36 be and give examples

A

Ablative absolute of attendant circumstance ‘once love has grown familiar’
Ablative of separation ‘from a love to which he has grown accustomed’

73
Q

What does ‘referet’ mean?

A

‘Recall’

74
Q

What is the diminutive in the first line?

A

‘Ocellis’

75
Q

What is Propertius proud about?

A

He thought he could play with Cynthia’s affections

76
Q

What technique is the Milanion and Atalanta story?

A

Exemplum

77
Q

What is an exemplum?

A

Refer to myths to explain a situation

78
Q

Who is Iasid? What technique is this?

A

Atalanta. Patronymic epithet as her father was Iasus

79
Q

Which part of the Milanion creates sympathy?

A

Groaning in pain on the Arcadian cliffs

80
Q

What does he mean by ‘stimulating art’?

A

Ability to be poetic. He is losing inspiration

81
Q

When he says ‘he forgets to go on ways he used to know’ what does he mean?

A

His poetry is not the same as before. He loses the way he used to win over a girl

82
Q

What has Propertius resorted to?

A

Witchcraft

83
Q

Where was Arcadia?

A

Central and Eastern part of Peloponnese peninsula in Greece

84
Q

What does he mean by ‘he slips away’?

A

Cannot be helped or is at the point of death

85
Q

What does ‘en agendum’ mean?

A

Get on with it!

86
Q

What sort of ‘we’ does Propertius use?

A

Royal ‘we’

87
Q

Why does Propertius talk about surgery?

A

Cutting love out

88
Q

Who is he referring to with ‘vos remanete’?

A

The audience

89
Q

How does Amor consent?

A

Nodding

90
Q

What does ‘old Venus’ add to Venus?

A

Authority

91
Q

Where is there litotes?

A

Line 34

92
Q

What does Propertius warn the audience?

A

Don’t look for something else

93
Q

What does he mean by love working bitter nights?

A

He cannot sleep at night because of love

94
Q

What does Propertius hate?

A

Being in love. He is angry at love and the situation

95
Q

What does the last line say?

A

He will recall my words with so much grief

96
Q

What is the parallel between Milanion and Propertius?

A

Milanion was wounded and got love but Propertius is also wounded by love and doesn’t get the girl

97
Q

Why did Propertius lose love?

A

He did something and was arrogant with it. Now he is angry at himself

98
Q

What is the effect of litotes?

A

Make a point by emphasising the opposite