propertius 3.4 war and peace

• Commemorates Augustus’ military victory in praying to the gods to protect him
• presents his campaigns in the east as economically beneficial as well as revenge for the parthian’s
• written in 20 BC
• Harvard School of Thought - Propertius describes the scene from the viewpoint of a poet and lover who doesn’t get involved, perhaps implicating that Augustus’ campaigns are frivolous and not essential
• Tiber - river in Rome which features in many myths
• Euphrates - river in Asia that borders Parthia
• Ausonian- Italian
• “Disaster of Crassus” - as governor of Syria in 54, Crassus attempted to gain military glory by embarking on an unwarranted invasion of Parthia, to the east. He was defeated and killed at the Battle of Carrhae, and lost Roman standards
• “Sacred Way” - main road in Rome, from Capitol Hill to religious sites in the Forum 
• there is a semantic field of wealth, suggesting that Rome’s prosperity is rooted through fruitful wars e.g. “pearlbearing ocean” “rich India” “burdened with booty”
• Propertius is able to relax because of Augustus‘ presence, he is able to ”cheer“ them on
• Augustus is shown to be personally pushing for war. “Caesar, our god, plots war“, “I can cheer them” -> war as a vanity project/fool’s errand especially when reading war and peace against chaste and faithful galla
• “Parthia’s trophies will get to know Latin Jupiter”
• Barbarians othered as ”trousered soldiers”
• Augustus seems divinely sanctioned, referred to as a “god” or perhaps referencing Divine Julius, and Propertius prays to Mars and Venus to bless him
• Eastern triumphs as revenge

  • This revenge is enacted against the “trousered soldiers” "fleeing horsemen" who are othered
  • “Parthia’s trophies will get to know Latin Jupiter”
  • “Avenge that disaster of Crassus”
• Roman dominance/strength

  • “Cutting the straits”
  • “Prows expert in battle”
• Augustus the "head" that "survives from Aeneas' line"
• Seeking glory

  • “Far lands prepare triumphs”
  • “Vulgar cheers”
  • Triumph scene at the end, "bows of trousered soldiers" and "captive leaders sitting beneath their weapons"