Propertius 2.19 Notes Flashcards
What is this poem about?
Sorrow at Cynthia’s departure from Rome but in the consolation that she will be clean and pure in the safe and simple country
What is an alternative view about this poem?
He is delighted she is out of town and while she is bored he is enjoying his freedom
What could ‘laetor sine me’ also mean?
I am glad I am not going too
What are the sections this poem is split into?
The first half about the country life for Cynthia, then what he will be doing and then a conclusion
What is a distich?
A couplet
Where is the double negative? What does it mean?
‘Nulla neque’
‘Absolutely not’
What will Cynthia be missing?
Young lovers, his blandishments and others fighting over her and with her
What strong negatives are present at the beginning section?
‘Nullus’
‘Nulla’
‘Neque’
‘Nec’
Where is there alliteration of ‘s’ and ‘p’?
‘Sola eris et solos spectabis, Cynthia, montis et pecus et finis pauperis agricolae’
Which distich returns to the negative theme?
‘Illic te nulli poterunt corrumpere ludi fanaque peccatis plurima causa tuis’
What was a ‘fana’?
A sanctuary temple where girls would have their fun
What contrasts ‘peccatis plurima’?
‘Pecus pauperis’
What contrast is made between ‘peccatis plurima’ and ‘pecus pauperis’?
She will have ‘pecus’ not ‘peccatis’
What is reminiscent of verse 7?
‘Illic assidue tauros spectabis arantis et vitem docta ponere falce comas’
‘S’ sounds and repetition of ‘spectabis’
What does he actually mean about her imitating choral dances?
She is trying to pretend but no matter how hard she tries, she will still be alone
What is ironic about the ‘strange man’ that is mentioned?
The point is that she will be alone with only mountains and cattle to look at with no other men otherwise action would be created
What are the two levels in the concluding section?
1) He is glad she will be where she cannot misbehave but she must be careful in case an outsider should appear
2) She will be miserably isolated, alone and with nothing to do
What contrasts the boring life Cynthia will have in the country?
The action if his life hunting
What two senses can ‘venabor’ have?
Literall and metaphorical as in what is he actually hunting?
What are the two meanings of ‘suscipere’ and why?
To take up things sacred to Diana e.g. hunting and to take up things sacred to Cynthia e.g. sexual promiscuity because the goddess Diana was also called the goddess Cynthia which links to Propertius’ mistress
What are the two ideas behind ‘Veneri ponere vota’?
‘To lay aside the worship of Venus’ and ‘to make offerings to Venus’
What could the object of the hunt be? How could we tell?
Erotic pleasures. If ‘Veneri’ meant ‘to take up the worship of Venus’ to link to ‘venabor’
What has Propertius deliberately done with ‘Veneri’?
Used it deliberately as ‘Veneris’ would be expected. Propertius wants us to stick on the phrase and wonder what else he might mean
In the first half of the poem, what does Propertius think of Cynthia?
Retains enforced and unwanted virtue
