Latin Love Poetry

Owes origins to Greek Callimachus(fl. 280-45 BC), who wrote on varioustopics incl. homosexual love

Callimachus inspired LateRepublican love poets incl.Catullus (c. 85- c. 54 BC)

Gaius Valerius Catullus

From Verona. Did not involve self in publiclife, except:

On staff of Gaius Memmius, governor ofBithynia, in 57 BC

Wrote some poems critical of variousfigures incl. Caesar

Gaius Valerius Catullus

Stormy love affair with “Lesbia” (prob.Clodia), named in honour of Sapphoof Lesbos

Novi Poetae (New Poets)

Sextus Propertius(c. 54-48 BC-before 2 BC)

Sextus Propertiusc. 54-48 BC Born into equestrian family in

Assisi

Part of family estates confiscated by Octavian in wakeof civil war to settle veterans

Propertius pursued education in Rome. Becameprofessional poet. Fell in love with “Cynthia.”Affair lasted for about five years, then split up,and Cynthia died a few years later

Sextus Propertiusc. 28 BC First book of poems published. As

result, Propertius gained patronage ofMaecenas

c. 26 BC Second book of poems published

23 BC Third book of poems published

16 BC (or later) Fourth book of poems published

2 BC Propertius definitely dead

“Cynthia” = Hostia or Roscia

Sulpicia

Little known about her. Was niece of senatorand literary patron Messalla. Messalla wasalso her legal guardian

Wrote six poems, which constitute almost allLatin poetry by Roman women that we have!

Poems concern Sulpicia’s love for “Cerinthus,”possible Cornutus, an associate of Messalla