Why read The Complete Poems of Tibullus?

Book cover of The Complete Poems of Tibullus

Book description

Tibullus is considered one of the finest exponents of Latin lyric in the golden age of Rome, during the Emperor Augustus' reign, and his poetry retains its enduring beauty and appeal. Together these works provide an important document for anyone who seeks to understand Roman culture and sexuality and the…

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Topics

The Roman Empire

Genres

Poetry

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Why read it?

1 author picked The Complete Poems of Tibullus as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Paul Allen Miller

Author

Tibullus is the great unsung hero of Roman poetry. His subtle and gently ironic poems are dedicated to his mistresses Delia and Nemesis, and to his pederastic beloved Marathus. They posit a lost Golden Age, when men lived in primal harmony, the earth spontaneously yielded up its bounty, and love was had al fresco without possessiveness. His poems reflect the kind of ironic pseudo-naiveté that can only be produced by the most sophisticated of urban intellects. Dennis and Putnam not only capture these richly textured poems about a simple life that never was and never could be, but they also…

From Paul's list on The best books on the art of living.