The ancient text by Propertius is very similar to the modern song “Love Song” by Sara Bareilles, in that they are both well known artists for writing about their lovers. We can see similarities in that both authors claim that they will not give into what their lovers want, and instead create a message about how awful and deceitful their lovers are, essentially ruining their reputation. Propertius writes “Is this fair, that you’re on the lips of all Rome, Cynthia?…Out of so many cheating girls, I’ll find one who’d like to become known through my songs,” indicating that Propertius is well known for writing about his lovers, and hints that Cynthia desires to be the center of gossip in Rome. It can be interpreted then that Cynthia used Propertius in order to become infamous, and probably hoped he would write a love poem about her to increase her fame. Cynthia and Bareilles’s lover are both manipulative and bad, noticed when Bareilles writes, “I learned the hard way, That they all say, Things you want to hear” and “You and your twisted words, Your help just hurts, You are not what I thought you were….Convince me to please you.” Both authors also proclaim that they will not give into what their lovers want. For Bareilles it’s “I’m not gonna write you a love song, ‘Cause you asked for it, ‘Cause you need one, you see.” The text also indicates that Bareilles’s lover desires a love song in order to become famously known as a muse for one of her love songs. Bareilles’s claim that she’s “not gonna write you a love song” also indicates the expectation of lovers or ex’s to receive a love song, which usually expresses the heartache or loss of the author. By claiming she’s not going to write one, Bareilles is stating that she is not heavily effected by the breakup while also landing an insult to the ex-lover. Propertius also claims he’s not gonna become a desperate or angry ex, which Cynthia would have loved since it would showcase how desirable she is, “But I won’t tear the clothes from your perjured body, my anger won’t break your bolted doors, I wouldn’t, in my rage, tear out your braided tresses, or dare to hurt you with my powerful thumbs.” Both authors are in a way giving into what their lovers had initially wanted, but have twisted it in their own way in order to expose their lovers and showcase their own power and confidence. Bareilles exposes her lover that he was manipulative and “not who I thought you were”, while Propertius writes “So I’ll write what your whole life can’t delete: Cynthia’s beauty, great; Cynthia’s world, light…this verse will make you pale.” Propertius intentionally knows that writing these negative things about Cynthia will stain her reputation, and saying that her words are “light” means that they have no meaning or promise to them, which can cause problems with her and her future lover.
The differences between the two authors is that Propertius has been cheated by Cynthia and are separated, while it is unclear whether Bareilles is still with her lover, since her lover threatens to leave her unless she writes her a love song, “I’m not gonna write you a love song, ‘Cause you tell me it’s, Make or breaking this, If you’re on your way.”
2.5 (page 246)
(1)Is this fair, that you’re on the lips of all Rome, Cynthia? that you live in open shame? Is this what I earned the right to expect? You liar, you’ll pay.
(5)Out of so many cheating girls, I’ll find one who’d like to become known through my songs.
(21)But I won’t tear the clothes from your perjured body, my anger won’t break your bolted doors, I wouldn’t, in my rage, tear out your braided tresses, or dare to hurt you with my powerful thumbs
(27)So I’ll write what your whole life can’t delete: Cynthia’s beauty, great; Cynthia’s world, light
(30)this verse will make you pale