The Latin poet Propertius (ca. 5016 B.C.) is considered by many to be the greatest elegiac poet of Rome. Long neglected because of the obscurity of his thought and the vagaries of his syntax, Propertius has now emerged as a writer of compelling originality and intellectual power. In this authoritative edition of Propertius s elegies, L. Richardson, jr, makes these challenging poems both intelligible and accessible.

For students of literature and history alike, Propertius offers insights into the intellectual world of Augustan Rome and Roman society. His perplexities and frustrations,...