The Poems of Tibullus and the Elegies of Sulpicia

Moreover, since it was announced that his affairs were such that he would return Tibullus to the press as soon as possible, I did not want to commit the error of allowing Tibullus—that splendid knight, as he first came into view—to appear again with such an unseemly face and habit, as far as it depended on me. Therefore, having finished the work on Virgil, I decided to devote some part of my leisure to amending the copy of Tibullus, which had once been published under my care but printed while I was absent. But, as usually happens when you return to old loves and grow warm with them again, the same thing happened to me. I was so captivated by the sweetness of Tibullus that I examined this passage and then that one more accurately, explaining their charms and the causes of them; I changed this, polished that, and arranged other things better. Finally, I even progressed to amending the reading of the poet in many places.

So that it may be better understood what has been achieved in this new edition, beyond the correction of those things that had been printed erroneously in the former, I will note them briefly at the front of the book. First, I have excised many things that were either outside the purpose of such an edition or outside the duty of a good interpreter. I have added others, especially in the interpretation and illustration of the poet, by which his elegance and charms, and the causes of them, might be illuminated in a better light. Nor did I refrain from occasionally noting things that have been copiously explained by learned men elsewhere in other books and on other authors, but which I saw as necessary to recall to the memory of one who might wish to derive as much pleasure as possible from reading Tibullus. Therefore, as I looked around to see what might either hold the reader or, if it did not occur to his mind at the very moment he was reading, diminish the fruit of his pleasure, I stumbled upon some passages that I myself had once thought simple and easy to understand, in which, however, I now felt myself hesitating. I also worked to turn the reader’s mind toward those things in Tibullus that are unique or rarely encountered. I have added arguments for the poems, arranged so that anyone who wishes can know the summary, purpose, and excellence of each elegy.