Propertius Elegies 3
A question of style (and who’s got it……) transeat hic sine nube dies, stent aere venti, ponat et in sicco molliter unda minax. aspiciam nullos hodierna luce dolentis, et Niobae lacrimas supprimat ipse lapis; alcyonum positis requiescant ora querelis; increpet absumptum nec sua mater Ityn. tuque, o cara mihi, felicibus edita pennis, surge et poscentis iusta precare deos. at primum pura somnum tibi discute lympha, et nitidas presso pollice finge comas; dein qua primum oculos cepisti veste Properti indue, nec vacuum flore relinque caput; et pete, qua polles, ut sit tibi forma perennis, inque meum semper stent tua regna caput.
Poem 10: lines 5 – 18
With specific reference to this passage, explain how Propertius creates interest (=?) in what is essentially just a description of a day? [25]
Outline content/context
Interest = ?
transeat…stent…ponat…..
Jussives – word order molliter Elegiac implications – emotional undercurrent/ suggestion o cara mihi apostrophe surge….finge….indue…..
(Impatient) imperatives primum pura ….primum……
Anaphora: starting something great – nostalgic reminiscence regna Sexual suggestion
dies…..venti…..unda…
Submission of the natural world et Niobae ………edita pennis
‘Colour’; extent of grief to be overcome; neat segue – avian suffering to avian happiness at primum ………caput cf. Homeric arming scene: she is preparing to do battle – militia amoris si fas est, omnes pariter pereatis avari, et quisquis fido praetulit arma toro! tu tamen iniecta tectus, vesane, lacerna potabis galea fessus Araxis aquam. illa quidem interea fama tabescet inani, haec tua ne virtus fiat amara tibi, neve tua Medae laetentur caede sagittae, ferreus armato neu cataphractus equo, neve aliquid de te flendum referatur in urna: sic redeunt, illis qui cecidere locis. ter quater in casta felix, o Postume, Galla! moribus his