Crime of Passion

Run for your Life

(Ancient Text by Propertius II.8, translated by Peter Bing and Rip Cohen) and Run for your Life (Contemporary Song by Beatles)

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In Propertius’ poem, the speaker complains about his girl’s infidelity and how awful it is to see her “cocked on another man’s arm” (line 5). He seems unsure how to deal with it at first, but finally the story of Antigone and Haemon comes to mind and he thinks of suicide and death. He threatens Cynthia and says that if he dies through love, she should die too. The Beatles’ song too is about infidelity and revenge: “Catch you with another man, that’s the end, little girl.” If that happens, the speaker knows what he will do – he will pursue her (“you better run for your life”) and kill her (that’s the end). Both poems reflect the lover’s jealousy and aggressive tendencies, but one difference is that Propertius seems to have actual evidence of infidelity, while in the Beatles’ song it is just imagined.

Ancient Text Excerpt:

Propertius II.8, lines 5-6, 25-28:

Can I see her cocked on another’s arm?
Will she not be called mine who was called mine yesterday?

But you won’t get away with it: you should die with me;
Your blood and mine should drip from the same sword.
Though that death of mine will be dishonorable —
a dishonorable death indeed — but you’ll die too.

Key Lyrics:

I’d rather see you dead, little girl
Than to be with another man
You better keep your head, little girl
Or you won’t know where I am.

You better run for your life if you can, little girl
Hide your head in the sand, little girl
Catch you with another man
That’s the end’a little girl.


Click for full lyrics

I’d rather see you dead, little girl
Than to be with another man
You better keep your head, little girl
Or you won’t know where I am.

You better run for your life if you can, little girl
Hide your head in the sand, little girl
Catch you with another man
That’s the end’a little girl.

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