PROPERTIUS, SEXTCS (e.49-e.15 B.e.). A Roman elegiac poet. He was an Umbrian by birth. and his native town was in all probability the city of Asisium. He was of equestrian rank, and his father, who had joined Lucius Antonius, had lost much of his estate, which was confiscated by Augustus. Of the poet's life there are hut few data. After his father's death he came to Rome. probably about the age of sixteen, and studied law. This profession, however, proved but nominal one, for his real life-work lay in poetry. His first patron was Volcatius Tilling, but after the publication of his first hook, he was presented to the famous Mecenas (q.v.), who became his lasting friend. The relations of Properties with his fellow-poets were most harmonious. He is mentioned frequently by Ovid with unmistakable affection. and he speaks of Vergil with enthusi asm. Although the name neither of Horace nor of Tibullus occurs in his poems, his work contains many reminiscences of both. Of the latter part of the life of Properties we know nothing. He speaks of himself as a valetudinarian, and he died at Rome, probably at the age of about thirty-five. According to Pliny. he married after the death of his mistress. and left a sun, hut this account is doubtful, and is rightly discredited.
The work of Propertius falls into two classes: first, and by far the more important, love-elegies, and, second, poems of eulogy. Indeed, the great event of the poet's life. and the only one of real importance so far as his literary activity is con cerned, was his love for a mistress, somewhat his senior, whom he celebrated as Cynthia. but whose real name, if we may believe Apuleius (q.v.), was Hostia. She was probably the sister of one llostius, who is known only as the author of a lost epic entitled Balton Histricum. In character she seems to have been light, fickle, vain, and mercenary, yet with• and beautiful. In his early ,vouth the poet had had an ephemeral passion for a slave-girl whom he calls Lycinna, but after his acquaintance with Cynthia he appears to have been loyal to her for several years. At last, probably after some five years, there came a break in their union, although they seem to have been reconciled before her death. In the poems ad dressed to her Propertius appears at his best, although the letter of Arethuse to her husband, Lycotas. foreshadowing the Heroides of Ovid. has a ring of pathos rarely beautiful. The two domi nant notes of his poetry are passion and erudi tion. Less perfect in technique than Horace, he is more real; less sincere than CatoIlus. he is more balanced and restra hied. The poet with whom one involuntarily compares him is Tibullus. yet here one misses the delicate sentimentalism founded on real affection for Delia which Tibullus had, while the erudite touches of Propertius.
Which justly won him the epithet of 'the learned,' are happily far less evident' in his fellow. The distinguishing characteristic of Propertius among Latin poets is this erudition, often carried with visible effort. As his models he took the Greek Alexandrine school of poetry, following especially I'hiletas and Callimachus, being himself called 'the Roman Callimachus.' In comparison with his love poems his eulogis tic verse is of slight interest. Urged by Msecenas to write in epic strain. he pleaded his unsuit ability to the task. The justice of his self-judg ment is confirmed by his elegies on Vertninnus. Tarpeia. Hercules and Cams. and Jupiter Fer etrius, for all of which he probably drew his ma terial chiefly from Varro (q.v.). Yet he treated also contemporary events in his poems on the battle of Actium and the deaths of Cornelia and Marcellus, and the preparations of Augustus against the Parthians.
The first book of the elegies was published by Propertius, probably about 28, under the name of Cynthia. Although the dates of the remaining books are somewhat uncertain, the second and third seem to have appeared about 26. the fourth about 21. and the fifth about 16. The very num her of the book; is a disputed question. They were supposed to he three until the edition of Lachmann (q.v.), who divides! the second hook into two. Despite the arguments in favor of such a division, there are objections which may be al leged against it.
The manuscripts of Propertius are very late and extremely corrupt. His works were appar ently unknown throughout the Middle Ages. the earliest mention of a manuscript of them being one in the possession of Tetrarch. The best is the ro(lPx lveapolftmtus, dating from the twelfth or thirteenth century. and now in the library of Wolfenbtittel. The influence of the poet on litera ture has been slight, although it is noteworthy that he inspired Goethe to the composition of his float ische Elegien.
The first edition of Propertius was published at. Venice, in 1472. Other important old editions were by Scaliger (Paris. 1577) ; Passerat (ib., 1608) ; Broukhus (Amsterdam, 1727) Vulpi (Padua. 1755) ; and Dormann (Utrecht, 1780). The editions of Lachmann (Leipzig. 1816; Berlin, 1829) were epoch-making in Propertian criticism. Other editions have been published by Jacob (Leipzig, 1827) : Hertzberg (Halle, 1843-45) : Paley (London. 1872) Biihrens (Leipzig, 1880) ; Palmer (Dublin, 1880) : Postgate (London. 1881) ; and the text only by Keil (Leipzig, ; Haupt (5th ed., ib., 1885) : and Milner (ib.. 1870). English translations have been made by Cranstoun (London, 1875) and Moore (Ox ford, 1870). Consult also: Jacob, Propertius (Ltiheck, 1847) ; Plessis, Etudes sur et ses elegies (Paris, 1SS6) : Davies. ratullus, Mat his, and Propertius (London, 1S70).