Translation of two of Goethe's erotic works, which are rarely included in German editions. The introduction examines Goethe's erotic poetry in his overall development and in relation to other European poetry of the genre.

A perfect introduction to the great German poet, with a useful introduction by his superb translator.

Flamboyant and passionate, the love poems of Propertius are among the most beautiful to have been written in any language. In this eloquent and consistently faithful translation, W. G. Shepherd does full justice to the work of this remarkable Latin poet. Born about 48 B.C. in Umbria, Sextus Propertius was one of a group of poets influenced by Greek Alexandrian mannerism who developed the genre of Roman love elegy. Through shifting moods of ecstasy and frustration, his early works celebrate his obsessive love for his mistress, Cynthia. All his work is distinguished by strong visual imagery, richness of language, and an intensely personal style.

These ardent, even obsessed, poems about erotic passion are among the brightest jewels in the crown of Latin literature. Written by Propertius, Rome's greatest poet of love, who was born around 50 b.c., a contemporary of Ovid, these elegies tell of Propertius' tormented relationship with a woman he calls "Cynthia." Their connection was sometimes blissful, more often agonizing, but as the poet came to recognize, it went beyond pride or shame to become the defining event of his life. Whether or not it was Propertius' explicit intention, these elegies extend our ideas of desire, and of the human condition itself.