Propertius 20

Question 1

Miserum me

Answer 1

Poor me

Quickly lets us know how he feels

Question 2

Nullis ante cupidinibus

Answer 2

Before then I was untouched by any desire

Seems she was first one he fell for

Question 3

tum mihi constantis deiecit lumina fastus et caput impositis pressit Amor pedibus

Answer 3

Then love forced me to lower my gaze of steady hauteur and trampled my head with is feet

Juxtaposition of Amor meaning love emphasises that love gets everyone in the end. The imagery of love shows it to be forceful and violent which makes us think of Ovid

Question 4

donec me docuit castas odisse puellas improbus, et nullo vivere consilio

Answer 4

until the wicked one taught me to hate chaste girls and to live without plan

If he is forced to hate chaste girls what does it say about Cynthia?- bit of a girl around town.

Question 5

improbus

Answer 5

the wicked one

love makes you do bad things- Ovid again

Question 6

furor

Answer 6

madness

madness of love i.e. not successful

Question 7

toto anno

Answer 7

whole year

love is long lasting

Question 8

cogor

Answer 8

I am forced

like pressit meaning forced in line 4

Question 9

Milanion

Answer 9

Reference to Hippomenes

Most ancient hold that Milanion (Hippomenes) won Atalanta’s hand in marriage by beating her in a footrace, in which he threw golden apples on the course to distract her and ensure his own victory. Propertius, however gives a vague account of a series of hunting expeditions undertaken with the aim of impressing her, ultimately ending in conflict with the centaur Hylaeus, in which Milaon sustained an impressive injury. Whether because she pitied him or she was impressed by his wound, Atalanta loved Milanion thereafter. Propertius’ account is, more or less, about as un-romantic as the traditional version. The Milanion myth illustrates the idea that obedient service brings success in love (but for Propertius this no longer applies)

Question 10

Milanion nullos fugiendo, Tulle, labores saevitiam durae contudit lasidos.

Answer 10

Tullus Milanion, crushed the savagery of lasus’ harsh daughter by not fleeing any hardship

lasus’ daughtuer is Atalanta. Tullus is a friend of propertius but doesnt uderstand the amount of passion he has

Question 11

velocem puellam

Answer 11

swift girl

Atalanta

Question 12

saucius

Answer 12

injured

He was willing to with stand an injury for her

Question 13

in me tardus Amor non ullas cogitat artes nec meminit notas, ut prius, ire vias

Answer 13

For me, Love is sluggish, it does not consider any skills, and does not remember the well-known roads of before

This contrasting propertius and Milanian beacuse Milanian fought hard to tame Atalanta which isnt exactly romantic, and in contrast propertius isnt exactly giving it his all. He Doesnt seem to be able to rustle up the energy or the enthusiasm to chase his girl

Question 14

domuisse

Answer 14

tame

Milanion finally succeeded

Question 15

But you whose trick it is

Answer 15

as if to say who are you gonna call?

Question 16

and make her face blanch paler than my own

Answer 16

effect of love

Question 17

lure… magic… spells

Answer 17

asking for a witches help

Question 18

Clochian spell

Answer 18

reference to Medea

Question 19

friends

Answer 19

Asking his friends

Question 20

seek out the remidies for unsound hearts

Answer 20

So he doesnt want to love her any more? Like Catullus

Question 21

cauterization and knife

Answer 21

this was a slave punishment and he doesnt want to feel like this anymore

Question 22

If only I’m free to speak as my anger wants. Carry me through the farthest people and seas, where never a woman can follow my spoor

Answer 22

Does he hate or love her? Does he want to keep trying or give up and forget her?

Question 23

Stay to whom the god inclines a complaint ear

Answer 23

God refferes to god of love and here he is talking about people who are succesful in love

Question 24

Our Venus plies bitter nights against me

Answer 24

Propertius is not successful

Question 25

Be warned avoid my woe. Let each be held by his own suit, dont change the seat of accustomed love

Answer 25

Dont do what I do- Stick with what you know- the grass isnt always greener on the other side- Think of Horace 32

Question 26

But if anyone heeds my warning too late, alas how greviously he will recall my words

Answer 26

If you dont follow my advice you too will end up ‘miserum me’-poor me (line 1)