Tibullus, Albius
Tibullus, Albius,born between 55 and 48 BC. An anonymous and corrupt Life, possibly derived from Suetonius, tells us that he was good-looking (confirmed by Horace Epistulae 1. 4. 6) and something of a dandy; also that he was of equestrian rank (see equites) and won dona militaria (military awards). The Life is preceded by an epigram of Domitius Marsus, which fixes the date of Tibullus' death in 19 BC (cf. also the lament in Ovid Amores 3. 9).
Tibullus implies that his patrimony was diminished, presumably by Octavian's confiscations of 41–40 BC (1. 1. 41f.; see Augustus; proscription); cf. Propertius. But his claims to poverty, paupertas, should not be taken too seriously. He no more than Propertius seems to have been reduced to economic dependence. Horace indeed suggests...
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