  We calculate the momentum dependence of the $\rho$-meson selfenergy based on
the dispersion relation for the $\rho N$ scattering amplitude $f(\omega$) at
low nuclear density. The imaginary part of $f(\omega)$ is determined from the
optical theorem, while the total $\rho N$ cross section is obtained within the
VDM at high energy and within the resonance model at low energy. Our numerical
results indicate a sizeable broadening of the $\rho$-meson width in the medium
especially for low relative momenta $p$ while the real part of the $\rho$
selfenergy is found to change its sign and becomes repulsive already at momenta
above 100 MeV/c. Extrapolating to nuclear saturation density $\rho_0$ we find a
dropping of the $\rho$-mass for $p \approx$ 0 in line with the QCD sumrule
analysis of Hatsuda while at high energy an increase of the $\rho$-mass in line
with the prediction by Eletsky and Joffe is obtained. However, when including a
broadening of the baryonic resonances in the medium, the $\rho$-meson mass
shift at $p \approx$ 0 becomes slightly repulsive whereas the width increases
substantially.
