Properzio fra Repubblica e Principato

The 2016 conference’s aim was to place Propertius in context. The papers focused on the compatibility between the choice of the elegiac form and the political framework, with special emphasis on Propertius’ relationship to Tullus before his approach to Maecenas and the more direct contact with Augustus subsequent to Maecenas’ removal. While not overstepping the bounds of the genre, the poet was able to contrive a set of references to the princeps and the political reality, thus originally achieving a balanced attitude. It is impossible, however, to grasp any growing alignment with Augustan policies. Rather, the recognition of the collective perception of the turning point marked by the victory at Actium, though within the patterns typical of the elegiac genre, can be perceived.