Date of Award
Summer 8-19-2021
Degree Name
Master of Arts (AM/MA)
Degree Type
Thesis DLA
Abstract
Propertius gives prominence to Cynthia’s role as a musician in a number of poems. Yet, how that role contributes to Propertius’ metapoetry, which is concerned with his self-construction as a lover and how his elegy works, has not been sufficiently evaluated. In this thesis, I examine how Propertius exploits and relies on Cynthia’s role as a musician to advance his metapoetry in three elegies: 1.2, 2.3, and 2.34. In Elegy 1.2, Propertius introduces Cynthia as a musician and crowns the poem’s metapoetic message about himself as a self-constructed lover and poet. In Elegy 2.3, Propertius manipulates the divine quality directly associated with Cynthia’s musicianship to transform Cynthia into a symbol of beauty. By elevating his elegiac symbol, Propertius elevates his elegy and pits it against other poetic traditions, especially epic. In Elegy 2.34, Propertius takes advantage of Cynthia’s musicianship to solidify her link with Apollo, who is emphatically portrayed as a musician, and deepens elegy’s connection to the musical god.
Language
English (en)
Chair and Committee
Rebecca Sears, Thesis Examination Committee
Committee Members
Cathy Keane, Timothy Moore
Recommended Citation
Deng, Shangwei, "Puella Musica: Cynthia as a Musician in Propertius 1.2, 2.3, 2.34" (2021). Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 2553.
https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/art_sci_etds/2553
Included in
Classical Literature and Philology Commons, Music Education Commons, Music Performance Commons, Music Practice Commons