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RAMBAUX, C., Tibulle ou la répétition. Latomus, Bruxelles, 1997. 117p. Sewn. Scholarly pencil markings and annotations. Series: Collection Latomus, Volume 234. 'R. examines Tibullus' elegies in their published order as a gradually unfolding drama, discussing in particular the poet's behaviour, motivation, and psychology as adumbrated in each. R. sees there a lover filled with illusions and contradictions, misguided in his attempts to deal with each beloved (whose wishes he ignores) and deep down wanting to be dominated and maltreated. (...) some of this is obvious, some of it has already been said (...), and some of it is purely speculative. Can one really deduce from three mistakes a helpless masochist (rather than just a 'pauper amator' with unfortunate weakness for beautiful but mercenary types? (...) In any case R. dismisses almost entirely the literary side of the elegiac love affair. Not much love poetry was written on successful amatory relations; and Tibullus was a literary artist working in a distinct tradition, according to which the beloved was venal and cruel, the lover was not rich, suffered setbacks, etc. Within these conventions there ia naturally repetition; but there is in fact also much variation. There is not a strong sense of sameness in Tibullus as R. would have us believe (....). R. also tends to be too serious in his interpretations, not making due allwance for wit and humour (...). In addition he simplu assumes that the published order of the poems represents their actual order of composition (...). In R.'s favour, his style is clear and flowing, he has read widely in the secondary literature, and he does make some persceptive points (...).' (P. MURGATROYD in The classical Review (New Series), 1998, pp.494-495). € 45.00 (Antiquarian)