(1.5.9-10) Here we can see that Propertius is warning Gallus (who is likely to be C. Cornelius Gallus, an elegiac poet of PropertiusÊ time, whose works have been nearly entirely lost 12 ) of a potential paradox – if he were to succumb to his desires and begin to erotically engage with the woman in question, he may find himself in more turmoil than he was in originally. Although the poem seems to be light-hearted (Cynthia is troublesome, and he does not wish that the same fate befall upon his friend, for, being a love poet, he would have to start to write love elegy to his mistress, which ironically he did) there are undercurrents of seriousness – Propertius is deeming GallusÊ advances too serious for his own liking. If this poem were juxtaposed with WertherÊs letter of Â16 th JulyÊ, then WertherÊs reason would take the form of Propertius, the praeceptor amoris 13 , the man who knows of the potential problems of succumbing to desire, and his heart would take the form of Gallus, the naïve young man who is inexperienced and does not look past the first few nights of passion. As the story of Werther progresses, and his mental state degenerates, we begin to see greater outbursts towards his confidante, Wilhelm, followed by concessions of the validity of his arguments. An early case of this can be seen in the letter dated Â8 th AugustÊ. Werther opens the letter with: It is clear from this reaction that Werther does not believe Wilhelm to be a good source of advice. Furthermore, he then proceeds to repeat WilhelmÊs argument back to him, which essentially involves Werther either pressing on with his desires for Lotte, or rejecting them altogether. Werther then follows up with an analogy: Und kannst du von dem Unglücklichen⁄ er sole durch einen Dolchstoß der Qual auf einmal ein Ende machen? And would you rather⁄ he puts an end to his miseries with one sharp thrust of the dagger? Ich bitte dich, lieber Wilhelm For goodnessÊ sake, dear Wilhelm
In this letter Werther appears erratic and deluded. He both first accepts WilhelmÊs argument, then counters it with his own, before conceding the fact that his own is poor:
und wir woollen uns nicht in Gleichnissen herumbeißen. Let us not bother with analogies.
Such nervous and unnecessarily harsh remarks towards a friend are mirrored in Propertius 1.4. Propertius denounces his friend, Bassus, for offering alternatives to Cynthia, though the former openly admits to his sufferings:
Quid mihi tam multas laudando, Basse, puellas, mutatum domina cogis abire mea? quid me non pateris uitae quodcumque sequetur hos magis assueto ducere seruitio? Why, Bassus, by praising to me so many girls
12 C. Butler (p288); N. Croally and R. Hyde (2011). 13 Meaning Âharbinger of loveÊ this title is often associated with Ovid – in his work, the  Ars AmatoriaÊ , he claims to be exactly that, but as Wheeler (1910) argues in ÂPropertius as Praeceptor AmorisÊ, that title can most certainly be attributed to Propertius as well – in fact, Ovid alludes to Propertius as the Âharbinger of loveÊ in his  Tristia Ê –  invenies eadem blandi praecepta PropertiÊ (you will find this love lesson in seductive Propertius).
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