When examining the works of Propertius and Tibullus as descriptions of a new Roman woman, a number of things must be examined. First, to what extent does each poet refer to the power of romantic or sexual love as that which restricts or hurts them in contrast to the power of women in general. Second, what is the contrast between women's sexual liberty and that of men. Third, how does the current-day reader determine whether the works of each poet are representative of reality.The following passage by Propertius assures us that it is the power of women and not simply the power of sexual or romantic love that binds a man. Here he recommends the activities between a man a boy. He reasons that such a match will not bring the pain and heartache of romantic or sexual love with a woman."I offer to my enemiessuch heterosexual joysand to my friends some good advice:find your delight in boys....When boys are mad a single wordwill often make them stop;but she will have your very blood to the last drop.'"(Propertius, 57-58)This very passage assures the reader that there is something unique about the love of a woman, or the quality that a woman brings to love that damages a man. Because such love and such sexual pleasures would certainly be available between a man and a boy, it is apparent that when Propertius speaks of his pain, he attributes it wholly to women and not solely to love itself. However, it is misleading to suggest that Propertius equates women with pain. More specifically, he seems to equate a woman's unfaithfulness with pain. While he labours on and on about the joys of sexual love with a woman and his prowess at pleasing her, often no more than a line will pass before he is obsessing that she is sharing a physical relationship with someone else. It seems that just as he realizes how lucky he is to share this kind of love with a woman, he realizes that as long as she has the power to love whom she wishes she has the power to break ...
