Seen EEE SH EEEn PESEEES EPSPS LOVE AND BETRAYAL SELECTIONS FROM CATULLUS The Waters Ar Gallery Balimore, MarylandINTRODUCTION Catullus has commonly proved to be a potent resousce against bore cdom for those students who otherwise may think of Roman authors a old fuddy-duddies. The youthful hero who tels his elders exactly what he thinks of them and then begs his girlfriend to give him hundreds and thousands of kisses right now before it's too late grips the interest of ‘most young people who are in ther early years of studying Latin, Catul- lus has been Western civilzation’s pester child for youthful alienation, and thus his life elicits ready sympathy on the part of the casual reader What students should know, therefore, about the poet's life and poetty ‘may not always seem entrely useful when frst coming to grips with this author, but it may serve to help them, on further reflection, to understand the many portions of the Catullan corpus that do not immediately bubble ‘up on the page with gushing romantic sentiment. It might strike the modern student of Catullus as odd thatthe Latin love poets, who in subsequent generations looked back to him as a model for their own work, described him as doctus Catullus. His designation as “learned” derives primarily from the fact that he belonged to the first {generation of Latin poets to be significantly instructed in and shaped by the aesthetic sensibilities and literary practices of Greek poets ofthe thita century B.C, several hundéed yeats before his own day and age (Catulls’ dates are usually given as 4-54 8.C). Alexander the Great had founded ‘Alexandria in 331 B.C. as te administrative center of Greek rule in Egypt, and his successors, the Ptolemies, built and cultivated a great library there, which became the most important center of Greek literature andl learning during the Helleristc era (323-31 B.C.) The most notable of the third century Alexandrian oF Hellenistic Greek poets was Callimachus, Who espoused critical awareness of literary form, scrupulous attention to refinement in composiion, and elegant erudition. He made fun of long, continuous narrative poems that were tll being vvritten in imitation fof Homer, comparing them to the muddy Euphrates River. He himself experimented with short poems, such as epigrams, hymns, and personal invective, books of discontinuous, episodic narratives, and a miniature epic oF “epyllion”; in his treatment of myth he gave some attention, as did other Alexandrians poets, exploring the feelings of lovers. He attached ‘more importance to themes of personal and scholarly interest than to the communal and moralistic values common to the traditional epic and dramatic poetry of archaic and classical Greece. Many of the features of Callimachus innovative poetic program were deliberately taken up in the Poetry of Catullus and presumably in the poetry, no longer extant, of ther Latin poets ofthat period who are associated loosely with Catullus. These are the very ones whom Catullus’older contemporary Cicero called1 Cams: tre 10 serra podtae novi and neoteroi (a Greek word meaning “newer” or “rather ew"), terms that expressed his disdain for what he regarded as theit “modern” tendencies. As we have seen, these tendencies had been around for several hundred years in the Greek world, but they seemed revolu- tionary to many in the Roman world who still preferred the traditional ‘epic and dramatic poetry of the early Latin writers Naevius (late third ‘century B.C.) and Ennius (239-169 8.C.), with thels patriotic and national- istic themes. Some of the Latin poets who shaped the neoterc revolution in Italy, such as C. Helvius Cinna ard Licinius Calvus, were close friends of CCatullus and are warmly acknowiedged in his poetry; many of them carne from Cisalpine Gaul, as did Catullus himself, who was a native of Verona, Prominent among them was Valerius Cato, who settled at Rome a5 a {grammarian and feacher of poetry in the Alexandrian tradition. We also hear of a Greek poet, Partherius of Nicaea, who was brought to. Rome from Bithynia by Cinna and whose presence in Rome stimulated interest in Alexandrian literature and especially in the poetry of Callimachus. ‘There can be little doubt that such friendships and associations with po. ets who were engaged in experimenting with new styles of thinking, writing, and living during the mid seventies and the sixties B.. had Profound influence on the youthful Catullus’ own destiny asa poet. According to Jerome (c. A D. 347-420), who relied on Suetonius (c ‘A.D. 70-130), our poet lived only thirty years, Thus, if we assume that the last datable allusions in his poetry fall in the final year of his life, we may. speculate that he lived from approximately 84 to 54 B.C. Jerome himself gives the dates as 87-57 B.C, which cannot be right) At some time in his life Catullus took up residence in Rome, where he came into contact with ‘many of the men prominent in politics and literature who are known to US ‘through historical sources. He's antagonistic toward a great many of the influential politicians of the time, such as Caesar, Pompey, Memmius, Clodius, Calpurnius Piso, and Vatinius, a8 well as lesser satelite such as Gollius and Mamurra, Caesar's chief engineer in his Gallic campaigns. In addition, pets like Volusius and Suffents, who were apparently working in the tradition of Latin epic going back to the Annals of Ennius over a century before, come in for harsh criticism. The great city of Rome cer- tainly opened unparalleled opportunities for enjoying the urbane intelles tual, social, and poetic life that engaged Catullus s0 deeply, yet on the other hand he was outraged by much of what passed for culture, litera. ture, and politics in the capital. He was always an outsider to some ex. tent, and this allowed him to view the Roman dite from the perspective of his own discomfort, perhaps something like that of a Midwesterner living in New York City, unclouded by the prevailing political ideologies and social practices of the day—mostly corrupt from his perspective.‘wapucron 3 ‘The most notable top that extends its influence throughout Catul- lus’ brief poetic career isa love affair with a woman he calls Lesbia, a name that alludes to Sappho, the famous Greek lave poetess of the island ‘of Lesbos (seventh to sich centuries B.C.). The Lesbia of Catullus’ po- etry is thus at least in part a literary creation who is meant to recall the emotion and the artistry of Sappho. Two of Catullus’ most important Poems, which describe critical moments in his turbulent affair with the woman he calls Lesbia, are written in a meter reminiscent of Sappho, and ‘both contain allusions to her poetry asthe poet describes his own feelings. In part, then a literary cretion, Catullus’ affair with Lesbia is usually r- ‘garded also as reflecting an affair that he had in real life with a beautiful, Captivating, and talented woman named Clodia, who was most likely the wife of Q. Caecilius Metellus Celer, governor of Cisalpine Gaul in 62-61 B.C. and consul in 60 (died 59 B.C.). Nothing that Catullus’ poetry says, about his relationship with Lesbia/Clodia can be corroborated by other sources, and much that be relates seems more appropriate to a literary fiction than a literary autobiography. His poems offer the frst example ‘we have from ancient iterature of the poetic record of an affair (imaginary, rea, or a combination of the two) extending over time with a beginning, middle, and end. Catullus is also the frst poet of whom we have any record who wrote in a subjective manner about his own (or what purports to be his own) ove affair as it developed over the course of time. In the first eleven poems there is an interesting array of pieces that treat Catullus' love affair with a puella, who is sometimes explicitly named as Lesbia. These poems appear to offer the outlines of an affair: first the poet’ attraction to the puella (poems 2 and 3), then his courting, ‘of her love (poems 5 and 7), then a realization that she is no longer inter= ‘ested (poem 8), and finally the dissolution of the affair in biter acrimony as the poet finds himself betrayed by a mistress whom he has discovered to be wildly promiscuous ‘poem II). ‘The theme of betrayal recurs throughout Catullus’ poems—some- times betrayal by his puella and sometimes betrayal by his male friends and associates: hence the ttle ofthis Book. As you read the poems relat- ing to the “affai” with “Lasbia,” you will want to think about the extent to Which these poems may have been prompted by actual events in the poets affair with a real woman and the extent to which they are fictional, literary creations. Whether you regard them as mote biographical or more fictional, you will likely find yourself wanting to locate and rearrange all of the "Lesbia” poems inte a cycle that makes emotional and psychologi- cal sense of the ups and downs of the love affair. Two things that you will certainly find are that the poems often allude to Greek models (Gappho, Callimachus, and other Hellenistic poets) and that they are‘ oeWUWs LOVE aN aera orks of supreme pote arity that epay very careful tention to their Post craftmanship, something on which the neoteric poets al peded themasive While possibly inspired by actual momentsin a oak fe sf fae with Clodia the wife of Metlas (known a8 Cla Metell), Cat 1a" poems are also ceatiors that he prayed would “endure tevagh the years fr more than one centry” (110) because of what they have fo say {5 reader ofl generations ou own no ls than any oe. ‘One other significant event in the biography ofthe poet is clearly marked forthe reader as« major contributor to his embiterment he yearong tenure of service onthe provincial staff of Galus Meme in Bithynia, which can be dated with al probability to 5738 8c; Memmius vas considered an expert in terary shatters and wa a pazon ofthe Re. san poet Lucretius. This powerful man‘ involvement in the Iteragy scene at Rome may have been factor in Calas sequaitance with te and hs being appolnted to is personal stall, Thing dd nat work out however as Catulus planed, and he level some hasty vtupertion st Memes in poems 10and 2. In Rome Catullus depended upon the sympathy of afew close friends such as Verantus and Fobullve and of fellow hectercs suck so Licinius Calvus and Cinna. Among these close tendo Catal cla vated aif ste based on dum lar, and devoted to Fenship,love, and poetry. The key term decribing the hea relaonahipa amie the people inthis cele offers ie usbanite {ts oppose astiota, and readers of Caulls soo discover a range of ether words that the Poet repented wes when wring abou the sophisticated urbane aloes 2nd interactions among the member of his vot and tray cote By Catullus” own testimony there were few inthe die ceces with wom he was on good term, This was the ageof te soled Bas ht Umwvirate, an agreement made in 60 B- between Jlus Caesar, Pompey the Great and Marcus Crass withthe design of contling polite fairs at Rome and reserving the choicest politcal fice for themaaves and thes followers. The pact was symptomatic of the destructive mb tons and illegal manewveng that undermined politcal fe during the fies and led ultimately ol cataclymi collsper in cel War at he ond ofthe decade Many of Catal’ pocms raise what almost "sce oe the wilderness,” protesting against the untested greed and social crassness that were o prevaent tthe ze. In patil, Callus si ies out Caesar and Pompey nd that underings for eating ron “Another disheartening event in Catulus fe was the death of his brother, whose grave inthe vicinity of Troy Cat vised and come snemorated wit the jisty famous and moving poem 10L There soeins to have been deep alfecton between the brothers, and Catulas’ tape sense of los over at is brother's dest spear anim poems and ohnaoucon s CCatullus seems to have admired the traditional value set upon the Roman family, asthe kymn to Diana (34) and the two wedding poems (61 and 62) indicate. Suetonius reports (Lf of Julius Caeser 73) that Catullus! father enjoyed Caesar's friendship and thatthe son on one accasion apol- ogized to Caesar forthe libelous verses he had written against him. While itis difficult to imagire Catullus abandoning his deep-seated hatred to- ‘ward the budding dicator and his minions, there is no difficulty in sup- posing thatthe poet urdertook such a reconciliation in deference to his fa- ther’ ties of hospitality, which may have been important forthe family’s influence and business contacts. ‘The problems of understanding Catullus’ poetry extend beyond the mysteries of his personal life. The text itself of the poems has spawned many questions and irsoluble conundrums. Our modern editions of the text descend from three manuscripts copied in the fourteenth century, all of which are derived irom a single version, now lost, that managed to make it through the Middle Ages. That single copy had many errors, for hich much scholarly work has produced some plausible corrections, and some fragmentary pars that have never been adequately explained or in- tegrated with their surrounding poems. You will encounter some of these textual problems inthe poems contained inthis book, and there will be some discussion of hem in the notes. This should help you to under- stand how fragile is much of our literary heritage from the classical world and how difficult it iso restore our damaged texts to readings in which we can have confidence. There is another thorny problem presented by the text that has prompted much scholarly debate. Did Catullus arrange part or all ofthe [poems in his corpus in the order in which we now have them, of is the Collection a miscellany gathered together by a posthumous editor? “The first poem in the corpus as we have itis a piece dedicating a novus libel- lus, a new litle papyrus oll to a certain Cornelius. The problem is that the word libellus seems t imply a single, short papyrus rol, ut the 2,289 lines of poetry in the present corpus exceed what would have comfort- ably fit on the literary papyrus rolls of which we have knowledge. Many scholars, therefore, assume a threefold division of Catullus’ poetry, which would have originally been transmitted on three separate rolls: poems I~ 60 (48 lines), poems 61-64 (795 lines), and poems 65-116 (646 lines). These divisions are not arbitrary but coincide with major breaks inthe grouping, of poems by genre or meter. The fist 60 poems are short, personal com- positions, often addressed to a specific recipient, written in a variety of ‘meters (and thus calleé “polymetric”), the most common of whichis the hhendecasyllabie meter. The second group of four long poems may all be said to treat marriage in one form of another, including the two epithala- ‘a, which recall one othe favorite genres of poetry that Sappho worked‘ ‘OTL: LOM AND aeaaL in. This group also includes a highly polished short epic or epyllion on the wedding of Peleus and Thotis. The poems ofthe final group are all ‘written in the elegite meter, a common meter for writing love postry Most of these poems are short epigrams, a literary type recalling one of the favorite genres of Hellenistic poets such as Callimachus, who loved the brief compass and compressed expression ofthis poetic form, Other scholars have produced other divisions of the poems, and some hold that the novus libellus dedicated to Cornelius may have included only po- fems 2-11 oF 2-14. However this may be, Catullus’ poetry from one end of the corpus to the other festures recurrent themes, such as love, friend ship, betrayal, social commentary, and discussions of literary practice, and the range of diferent genres in which he writes is truly impressive He appears to have given examples in Latin of the most important kinds ‘of short poetry that were written by the Greeks before him, including both the Hellenistic poets and earlier lyric poets such as Sappho.‘wonucrow ’ ‘TIME LINE ‘Consulship of Cicero and suppression of the Catilinarian conspiracy. ‘After campaigning inthe East, Pompey settles affairs there and retume to Rome, disbanding his army. 6 Approximate period of Catullus’ move to Rome. 6 Governorship of Meets Cerin pine a @ Caesar returns froma provincial command in Spain and forms the so- ‘alled First Triumvirate, an illegal agreement for sharing power ‘with Pompey and Crascus. 59 Caesar's consulship, during which he receives Cisalpine Gaul and. Ilyricum under the fe Vatinia, PP. Clodius is tribune and brings about the exile of Cicero, Rioting in Rome between Clodius and Milo. ‘Cicero returns from exile. ‘Catullus spends the year on the staff of C. Memmius in Bithynia. 56 Cicero delivers the Pro Cai Renewal ofthe so-called First Triumvirate at Luca, Catullus returns to lay ® Second consulship of Pompey and Crassus, Caesar bridges the Rhine and later invades Britain ‘54 Pompey governs Spain while remaining near Rome. (Caesar makes 1 second invasion of Britain. Crassus prepares in yria for acampaign against the Parthians. Last datable allusions inthe poetry of Catullus (othe campaigns in ‘Britain and Parthia), probably indicating that he died about this time or in the next couple of years ‘Crassus defeated and killed inthe military disaster at Carthae. Caesar finaly subdves powerful rebellion in Gaul. (Caesar erosces the Rubicon into Italy, beginning ci ‘Pompey and the Senate (Caesar defeats Pomoey at Pharsalus Caesar becomes dicator for life and is assassinated on the des of ‘March. ‘tA plausible date forthe birth of Catullus (see Introduction). ‘1. Sulla dictator after returning from campaign in Asia against Mitheadates and pearance of the ibellus and ao the quality ofthe poetry within ‘Why does Catala wee diminutive form bellu? (0) entity exampes of alteration, assonance, and homaloteleuton inthe fist twvolines, What effectsare produced by these features of the vere? How is mode inline 2 elated to novem inline 1? How is expotur in tine 2 cela to lepidum inline 1? How do these wonds form a chismus? entity the thetorical figure involved in the words s0lebds / meds ... rigis (6-4) Whats fect ‘Wty has Cats chosen Comets asthe ecpient of his bells? (3-4) How by word choice aed word order has Caulk drawn an effective contrast between Comets’ estimation ofthe poet's work and Catull own estima fon oft? G4) Inline 5 Catulus commends Cometiue for being 3 bold writer. What did CComtius dare topreduce? (5-6) ‘What are the characterstis of Comelias asa writer and of his literary pro- duction? (5-7) What stylistic devices does Catulls employ in describing Cometius’Iteray achievement? What are some ofthe implications of Ca tulls' se ofthe vo adectvesdoctn and Ibe (71? Compare line 6 with ie 1 and line 7 with line 2. How do Catulls” and CComelus respective works of poetry and history llr? Does Catulls ex- ‘press ungualied odmuston of Comelue work?n ‘aru; tove suo ear 8 qualiscumque, qualiscumque, quilecumgue,sefnite adjective of wh ‘sero ‘quilecumaue:iomatially, sch io orth worth quod: connecting relative and subject ofthe jussive subjunctive maneat (10), ‘ay <8: not found in the manuscripts, bu supplied by moder editors atrona, af, prone 10 perennial, -e [per tough + annus, yr ting tough the yrs; ‘during perenne: predicate adjective, modifying quod (9). saechumy in [syncope for saeculum) ime; eneratin: century. Text 8 quilecumque; quod: Thomson puts comma t the end of lin and deletes the semicolon here, giving 8 Quairé hab ti quidquid hoc libel, 9 quslecumgue quod, 28> patna vitg, 10 pls Gnd manest perenne sacl. quilecumaue quod: quod is now a delayed relative pronoun, and the Phrase = quod qualecumgue.-.., which suchas itn. Such delaying of Felative pronouns is an example of hyperbaton and is found elsewhere Catullus ‘Comparison Compare the fllowing English rendering of Catullus 1 by Andrew Lang (1688) ‘To what extent has Lang succeeded inhi rendering of Callus poem? in what ways has he failed? What changes has he deliberately made? Which isthe Better poem? Why? [My litle book, that's neat and new, Fresh polished with dry pumice stone, To whom, Comelius, butte you, ‘Shall this be sent, for you alone— (Who used to praise my lines, my own)— Have dared, in weighty volumes three, (What labors, Jove, what learning thine!) To tell the Tale of italy, An all the legend of our lire So take, whate'er its worth may be, My Book,—but, Lady and Queen of Song, ‘This one kind git I crave of thee, ‘That it may live for ages long!cms 1 a 9 quilecumaue; quod, <3> patrona virgé, 10 pls Gnd maneat perenne saecis. — Initial Explorations 12 What attitude toward his own work does Catullus seem to reveal in his choice of the phraseshab@ tibi and quidguid hoc libellf and inthe word quilecumque? (6-8) What words eater inthe poem expres asians der 13. Tosthom do you suppose the word veg (9) rele? 4 What prayer doe Catal make fo the virge? (2-10) 15. Explain the tension that exists between the content of the wish inthe final {oo line and the poet eater assesment of his work, 16 Resd the poem loud in meter and comment on your reading, Recall hee fects produced by allteration assonanee, ant homoioteleuton in lines 122, sd coment on () the effect of homelatelewon inline 1-2, 3-4 67, and 10, (6) the eisions in ines 5-6, and () he strong aliterstion or consonance in ines 8-9, Discussion 1. What does the poem suy about Ctulls'lbellus and about what Cats ‘valued in his poetry an! thought noteworthy about 2 Callus’ admiratior of Cornelius’ Chron sincere orl it inged with ly humor? 3. Whats the role ofthe patna veg in the final to ines? 4 Consider the underlying paradax ofthe whole poem. Although the poet Seems to downplay the significance of his poetry and to elevate the impor tance of Comelus history the emphasis in ines 1-2 onthe charm an po: ‘sh of Callus’ poetry andthe emphasis in line? onthe choppy and double. edged description of Comelius’ volumes of history seem fo suggest the op posite. With what fina impression ofthe quality ofthe two writers! works are you left after eading the whale poem? ‘Comparison ‘The Greek poet Callimachus, who ixpired Callus ina number of ways, made a prayer to the Graces that Ctullus may have had in mind when formulating his raver to the patna ving Come now and wipe your anointed hands ‘on my elegies so that they may last for many a year, —Aetie | fagment 7 ines 13-14" cars: Love ano eeaat Meter: hendecasyllabic 1 passer, passeris,m, smal nd (usally thought tobe a spr but taken by some tobe hue tak the word and its diminutive, paserculu, were ‘esd as terms of endearment), passer vocatve, hed upby tum in ine 9 alicia, rum pl [ually pin fom, sing in meaning] plu delight; pedaling, setheart pelle, gi: end seth 2 guicume = queum. ‘Quicum lider all the initio in ines 2-4 are dependent on sot), the subject (de) isthe puella (1) sisi, fof ope lp boa 3 primum digitume gery. Appetd (ed owen, eait + pelo, peter, petiv, pettus tok fr, set, ap Petere,appetivi, appetta, 0 try to reac a sek intial odes oe lock ssa ‘cul... appetent: the participle, completing the ie framing, may be fe ith clas substantive fo whe mgr tack ‘quicum (2)... quem.../eui @)polyptoton and anaphors 4 deer, Ses er, ken sar. “crs » drt, stem rouns and adjectives commonly retain thes original spelling in the accusative plural. Iincit(in,nto + ithe, ats, fet motion, rouse, eA, atus 1urgeon amuse poole oes, bbl, te, eck (f a bid),CATULLUS 2 A Pet Bird atullus wishes thatthe pt bird of his puella could satisfy hit needs aswell it appers to satisfy hers Passer, déliciae meae puellae, quicum Indere, quem in sind tenére, cui primum digitum dare appetentt et dais soletincitare morsiis, continuo Initial Explorations ‘The words passer, mene, and puellae i ine | inform us ofa tiangle of rl tionships that this poem wil explore. Identify the members of he tangle. ‘What does the word diiiae with Ws range of meanings fel ws about how the poet views the relatorship betoveen the puella and the passer? Describe each ofthe teractions between the puella and the passer in lines roy dentiy the clauses of ws ascending tion in lines 24 In addition to tere meaning, what suggestive meaning does the infin tive Kier carry inthis content?) Of the words quem insina tenére, which one add an erotic coloring othe scene? (2) ‘Whats the relatonshis between the actions ofthe puela inline 3a in ine 4 Can something mor than innocent pay be sen hee? What meaning ofthe verb appetere most appropriate ln tanalating the pancpe appetent (3 Hovt doe this word conbute an amorous overtone Tothescene? Why isthe verb solet 4) important? What does it dd to the description of the behavior of the pula? Discuss the words Seri. moras (8), tn what direction do these wo ‘word take the poo’ cescrption ofthe scene? Elsewhere Catullus uses simi lar language of lovers kisses: eg Catullus 818, Quem basiabla? Cui la- Della mardabia? Whor wil you kis? Whose ite lips wl you bite? and (ib 86-88 the doce sad fo natch ites wither ig ok aden. ‘Batrd) more wantonly fon eon am epeilypssonate man. How dos his aifect your understanding ofthe scene her 8Cos: cove ano ea. ‘cum: hence, cum mar introduce a general temporal clause with its verb inthe indicative dosenbing repeated action bsidesiu, sire ging someting longed or, aj of ese sweet Tar itr, to shin toe beutiful be radiant. desider6 med nitent usually interpreted as dative with lubet (6), tthe ‘adit bjt of my dire, but some. including Thomson epard esideri mea as ablative and translate [ier] raat wah desi forme nescis quis, nesco qui, indefinite pronoun only the quis, quid par ‘changes form it, [dor wa, [don es wha], omens ar some. ng other. ‘esc: iambic shorening carries over her int the compound ne-acio, Tubet archaic fo libet,inpersanal + dat (i iplesng (0) abet the subyect te inftive ocd icor, its um, jsp playa game ‘oct governing cirum nescio quid as intemal or cognate accusative, to ply some dear grea other o tegen some endarnPay. saldcolum, in [dim arbably coined by Cats] + gor, ight bf (Gem), sal oft ‘et Oldciolum: send internal or cognate accusative with fed, nd to playa smallcomfr fore...) The Renasance scholar Guarinus “huggsted readingut instead of et He flowed by Thomson. This Uutwould be tanehted as. Line 7 would then lary the vague rum ‘esc quid in ie 6 the puella plays with the pasaer a sal com: {fort fore heartach olor, dlrs, ain, mart, hewtache 8 [ad intensive prefix + quiscd,quigscere,quiév,quistirus, to villas fo res] ncepve, aequescere, aque uct down, find ‘ut. acquiéseat ether result or more hkelya purpose clause Sedot, dari, ire ea: pusionae dese out ad, jt. ps: tery, [se esl ere perhaps, your mists, in te sense that ipse and ipa often refer tothe master and mistress ofthe household aed owner nd overser of household slaves and workers posser: sould ht Toul, oly Ico te imperect subjunctive here ex: [presses an unrealized wih n present time ‘cum... possem: ste the sit correspondence beteen the miter snd the individual words in the ine Irate for the ending othe nae on Beri in ine 4. evr, Be, Sts, olighen, alienate ra ae, wory.care, tres there te cars or distress elt by 2 lover)ors 2 0 cum desideri6 mes nitent ‘rum nescio quid lubetiocsri, et sOlciolum suf doloris, ccréd6, ut tum gravis acquiéscat ardor; técum lddere sicut ipsa possem. et tristis anim levare ciras! ——— Initial Explorations 7 5 ° 0 1, The words dasiderid med nitent () may be translate tothe adn abject of my dsr orto er shining ith longing for me, Does one translation set bbe more appropriate fan the other? Need one choose? 12. Why, according tothe poet ithe puella paying with the passer (5-8) n- continues al Explorations ‘Three people ae involved in the frst two stanzas of his poem. Who are they? What eacty are wetold about the entity ofeach of then? ‘What sheteial gure inks the fist wo lines? What does the poet accomplish by adding the second ie? ‘Why does the poet ad he parenthetical fi et? ‘Whats the man refrrecto by the wordille doing? (-5) Whats the woman doing? @) To what dows quod (5) er? ‘The pronoun mihi ()smodified by misers (5). lit eter to take miserd as an attributive adjective (fom miserabelovsck me) ort take prokepteally (Grom me land mates me) miserableovesic)? Why te the adjective paced 50 ‘aly, even ahead ofthe relative pronoun that intoduces the clause within which the adjective fancions grammatically? How does the wore miser (5) et the poet n opposition to Ue man eefered toby the word lle? What words in the fst stanza are echoed by smal /... aspext in the sac ond? ‘What contrast is being drawn between Catal inthe second stanza andthe man referred toby the wir len heist?0 1 2 B 4 15 cars: ov 0 sa torped,torpére to bum be paralyzed tenuis, iy, i, tus“ ot bb. Ademng [de don ¢ min, re, Av, ats, flow] ate, A -rus to {fos doar sdpte: the sufi pe intensifis the reflexive possessive adjective Tinting, ae. fo mike ringing ound toate ringing sensation, ring, urs, aur fe. amen, Iaminis night lees {klum spre ing tie freer serous occupations sure idleness. xslt fox thoroughly sl, -Bre, Av, Btu, to dance, ev, foley tut dance trun to rece nto restat; +b eral (i). sila, adv, fo mach. esto (gents, s,m, movement of he libs in dancing) re, to desire coger to mak xpresoe movements gestures; fact without restraint, be ete eal, bests au, hp fortunate thy. ‘eges._ beats /perdiditurbés:Catullus may be thinking ofthe fabu> Touslyweally and prosperous King Croesus of Lyi, whowe cy ‘Sheds was sache bythe Persian king, Cyras Croesus had foolishly lowered he defnsesby disbanding his allied army and was intending {owit unl the next spring and the arival of additonal ale forces be- fore continuinghs war against Cyrus. Cyrus attacked Croesus with his Atenses dow snl captured and Sacked hs ity. Se Herodotus 177 and.carwuys 51 i 9 lingua sed torpet tenuis sub artis 10. flamma demanat somite suopte a 1 tintinant ares, mind teguntar 2 lamina nocte. 13 Otium, Catull, tid! molestum est; 14 6tid exsultas nimiumque gests; 15 _tium et régés prus et beatis 16 perdidit urbes, eee \ ! al Explorations i 12 What four more debitating elfets does Catullus describe in lines 9-127 13. Examine the positions ofthe nouns andthe verb inthe four clauses lines 5-12 and ident the ements uf a hiasmas 14 What letters in tines 912 create a particulry effective alliteration? 15. Finds transfered epthet in ines 9-12, 16 Whattwo words are mest efectiveyjustaposd in ines 9-127 i 17, How does the fil clause geming--./.nacte (1-12), provide a iting slimax fo the Ist of debitting etfcts? How i the placement ofthe word doce significant? 18 What shetorical figurels most promineat in the final stanes? (13-16) 19. Point out several aye in which the placement of words and etangement of lingua ced torpet, tenuis sub ats flamma demdrat, soit sop tintinant aur, gemuna teguntur Tomina nate ium, Catal, bt molestum et to evel nimiumaue gests ‘hum tyes pus et belts perdi ube 1. tnwhat ways are Cau’ encounters with Calvus and with Labi similar? In what ways ae they sila? 2 Compare the effets suffered by Cats from his poetic encounter with CCaloe ith the efi suffered By Carls when be looks at Labia 4. What ole does tum payin the wo poems? {What resalson of split does Catulas envision n poem 0? What reso- [ttn or hs plight poem 51 does ts fina stanza Rint?cans 51 19 Another Comparison ‘The first thre stanzas of thepeem at the lett below bythe Grek poctess Sappho of Lesbos (seventh to sith cttures BC.) provided 3 model for Catullos when he ‘wrote the firs three stanzas of poem 51. Compare this translation of Sappho's poem (number 31 in modem editions of her work) with Cats’ poem printed ext fot For the Greek texto Sappho's poem ee page 124 Sappho 31 Catullus 51 ‘That man appears tome tobe equal Mem ps esse dea vider, tothe gos, who sts cpposite il ts est superire dives, you and listens to your swe voce qu sedens adversus dendder te close at hand spectatet aut and your lovely laughter, which truly sts duke ridentem, mise quod omnis the Heart in my breast after, epi sects mihi: nam smi for when Hook at you oramement, lean Lesbia, aepext nilest super mi ‘no longer speak, “vein Ore but my tongue eda thin lingua el orpet, tras sub ats flame has atonce run beneath my skin, lamma démanat, soit sudpte Teannot se ever one hing with my ees, tintinant ures, erin teguntt ‘my ears are Buzzing, Taina note sweat pours down me; trembling Osim, Catal, so molestam et fakes hold of aloe, am ler to excltis nieuumgue gests than gras, and Iscemtomyellitle Stu trees prot Bese ‘hort of being dea perdi ub But all must be endured [The est ofthe poem ost 1. What are the major charges that Catullus has made in adapting the fist thre stanzas of Sappho’ poem? ‘What reasons can you suggest for his having made each ofthese changes? 2 3. Whatis Catulas doing in writing a completely different forth stance?st caus (veo AL More Comparisons Sappho 31 again ‘That man appears tome tobe equal to the gods, who sits opposite ‘you and listens to your sweet voice ‘close at hand and your lovely laughter, which truly sets the heart in my breast aflutter, for when Look at you for a moment, Tcan ‘no longer speak, but my tongue is tid, a thin flame has at once run beneath my skin, T cannot ae even one thing with my eyes, ‘my ears are buzzing, uBsS sweat pours down me, a trembling takes Hold ofall of me, Lam paler than grass, and I seem to myself litle short of being dead. But all must be endured. eusax Sppho's description of her physi symptoms served asa model fr later por cts when describing women falling in love at fst sight. Compare the following “scription by Apollonius of Rhodes (hed century BC. Hellenistic Greek poet) of ‘Medes falling infove wth Juom at it sight when she was shot by the arto of Eros (Cupid) in Argonautica Book 3. Pay patiula attention tothe underlined words, {ros la the arrow-notth onthe cord ot his bow] the center and drawing wide apart with Both hands he shot at Medea; and! speechless amazement Seized her soul and te bolt burt deep down inthe maidens heat, ike a {Tame and ever she kept darting bright lances straight Jason). and within i all remembrance let hee, and her soul melted with the sweet pin. 80, coll round her heart, burnt se- Eretly Love the destroyer and the hue of hor sft cheeks went and came, now pile now rd ner souTe distraction, (2282-98, tans, R, C. Seaton) Later, Medea alone in her bedroom, i wracked by the pangs of he ove for aso: ‘And fat der hear tho within her breast... and evee within anguish or- tured her, smouldering fite through her fame and about her inner nervesmus 51 1s sand deep down beneath the nape ofthe neck where the pain enters keenest, ‘whenever the unweariad Loves iret against ths heart thee shat of agony, (@ 755-65 trans, RC Seiten) Her physica symptoms are again catalogued when she has a rendezvous with a: Sento give hi the magic tit willave him from thefre- breathing bulls: ‘The sight ofim trough lovesick ae. Her heal from out he osom and a ‘and a hot blush covered her cheeks. And she had no strength oli her knees backward o forwards, bul her fet beneath wereroted fo the ground. (3961-5, tana, RC. Seaton) Another third century BC. Helleniste Grek poet, Thocritus, wrote of the lve at first sight experienced by fictional woman named Simaetha for young man ‘named Delphi. Simactha dese her love at fist sight, { saw, and madness seized me, and my hapless heart was aflame. My looks fades away. No eyes had I thereafter fr that show, nor know how T came home again but, i? and ten days and ten nigh ‘ay upon my bed, (il 292-85 tans, A'S. Cow) Se then desrbes her second encounter with Delphi wm and fom my brow, ike the damp deve, started the sweal nor could Lpeaka word, nay, not so much a babes that whiper in thei slep calling to their other dear, but all my fat body rev sifas it were a lls (dl? 106-10, tans, ASF. Gow) ‘The Latin pet Lucretius, a contemporary of Catulus, borrowed Sappho's imagery to deserbe the eects on the tly of the Overrhelmng caotion of eae But when the intelligences moved by more vehement fear, we see the whole spirit throughout the frame share inthe fling: swesings and pallor hence arse over the whole body the v0 way, blackness -assunding isin the cars, he limbs give way beneatty 8 word we often see men allio the ground for mental ero. (3152-38 tans, W.RED Rowse and MCF Seth), Another Latin poet, Valerius Aedituus, weting litle before the time of Cat, ‘compoued an epigram that ses o borrow imagery from Sappho's re: Deere cum conor cram thi, Pampa, condi, ‘qld mab 8 quaeram, verbs abs abet, per poctus mana suit mi sador: Sctacts, subs, dm puded, pre When try to tell you, Pamphil the pangs in my heat what seek fom you, ie wands filmy ipa hos lence aroused with ust, whe ashamed, perishry f cones: ove a SrA Find the words or phrases in the tanslation of Sappho’ poem that ee Frught seal she feng the underlined words and phrases inthe pas cas stove. julia fom the translations of Spph and these later pets Provided above, dothe descriptions of symptoms inthe ate seem to hve Exch writen in such away a8 to eal Sappho's poem tothe eaders mind? Iso, what purpose served by such recall? Suppho's&a female voice, andthe description ofthe catastrophic physical arufemotional fects of fovea first sight in Apollonius and Theccrins are “scrptons of the eects sulfered by women. Valerius Aedituus and Cafu he adopted theve scriptions that by tei ime come tobe traicnally eocated with ephybical and emotional suffering of women to describe thetr own sutfenngas men overcome by love. What ironic or paradoxical Bou Catal” appropriation to his on situation of Sappho and of he i en that had become traditional in descriptions ofthe physical and emo onal suffering of tomer falling in love at fist igh? Flow docs an understanding of the talition tht les behind Carus’ por- traval of himeet ina female role as victimized by love contribute to an un Tettaning of the unity ois poem I, nclaing the ast stanza?cars st 0 A Final Comparison Catullus 51 Catullus 11 le mi pr esse de viet, Fret Aur comites Catal, le, sf est superar ives, siveinextrémas penetabt ines, qusedens adversusdentdem wits ut longe rexmante B08 spectatet saci ‘edit und dulce ridentem, mised quad omnis sivein Hyrcinds Arabasve mols, Sripitsanss mint ram simulte, seu Sagi sagitiferave Patho, esis, aspen niilestsugermi sive quae ceptemgeminus coldeat ‘veeis in bre» sequora ius, lingua se orpet tenuis su arras sive tring alts gradigtur Alpes, flamma démanat, sont eutpte (Caesars visens monimenta magn, tintnant aueés, geming teguntur Gallium Rhum hore seo ult Tami note, méeque Briann, Osim, Catulle be moletumest; omnia hae, quascumgue fret voluns 9f0 exsuls nimiumque gts, ‘lita, temptare sim pati, ‘tum e regs ria et bets ‘paucanntiste mese puellae perdi urs, én bona dit, ‘cum sus viva valet moschis, ‘quts snl comple tenet recent, nlm amans ver, sed dentidem omn- ‘ls rumpens ree meu respect, ut ante, améren, quis cap ect welt pra “lumi Hes practezeuntepostquaen ‘ctu ara est Gloria 8. Duclos compares the fo poems flows: ‘There canbe no question of the link between 11 aad what was probably the fist poem [Catal] wrote to Lesbia, SL. There ae formal connections _metricl (both are in the Sapphic stanza which Callus never otherwise used): word usage (the prosa adverb tendon appears only in these two poems, sigficamy inthe sare position in theline and were bin startlingly fer ent contexts): source (¢1 ia partial adaptation of poem of Sappho an the nal staraa of c11 hinges ona Sapphic image). These seem to be conaciousy ‘rected signposts fr Fsba that what was Begun in lem pur ete deo oder ‘Row ended merit ent prat ls fs ‘There are more than formal parallels between these two poems. The im ages of c51 havebeen debberately revered inthe fith stanza ofc. The frst1s Carus: ove 0 sean stanza of e51 creates a picture of quit enchantment yet distance: figure Sis opposite Lesbi qa des adieu, 3) and gazes at her constantly and lis: tens to her sveet ough this in contrast the poet himself who becomes its Tess when he Iooks at er s0 powerful isher eect upon him, What has hap- peed to this dstanterchantrment in 11? Lesba is now shown inthe closest ‘ensile peoxsmity (gr simul cnplena tee, 18) not to one. admire, Dut to Fuandredsofedulterers (machi trecentos, 17-18, constantly (ente, 19) performing upon them al omni, 19) sexual acts (ii umpens, 20) The Le Fis ofc, who was the passive recipient ofthe gazes of her admires, as been ‘Nanaformed ito the voracious fomicato of 11. The repetition of enter Cinerlnes Catullas’ purpose, in S13 deseribes fe spect et audit—a man ‘watches and listens toy conta. In 1119-20, Lebia has become the sub- Jest not the object nor does she merly look and listen he iia rumpens, and Toto just one but of aller adulterers and all at the same time and constantly (idewtdem). Grotesque porography perhaps, but effective in expressing Ca- tall’ contempt and Fated. "A comparable change ha affected the poet too, between cSL and c11. The man who was struck cum® by the sight of Lesbia and was almost on the point ‘tte Vang sept. gemina tpn amin mate, 51.9, 11-12} asin Ch revived and found anil too biter voice. Yet inc be cannot bring him= ‘fo talk drety toLasba, ashe ad done inthe ever poem: he employs the device of intermediaries to convey his message of scm. The intimate fof (SSthssbecome «contemptuous thi peron singular inthe ast two stanzas of Ell and the simple ndiatves have Been transformed int he sathing com ‘mando ies 17 and 2 ‘Ci. then, not ony ecalls 51 bu i in some ways a response to that eat tierenhasinse Catia now tuly ses Lasbia for what se i ashe had not ‘whene fst gazed on her ine. TGilonia S Duclos, "Catullus Ii: Atque in Perpetuum, Lesbia, Ave atque ale Areas 9, 1976, 78-79) 1. Study the chins atangement of themes in the fro poems when set side by sie: Poem 11 Poem 51 a 8 8 a egotium Pl parting Loveatfistsght tum ofthe ays (eraveland—(temimiscence (adaptation ——_(destraction of Conquest). ofsappho) of Sappho) ‘ings an ies) fines 1-14) hoes 21-24) (Lines 1-12) ines 15-16) 12. How does the them of travel developed in lines 1-14 of poem 11 answer the pov sel ebuke for excessive indigence i Oium in poem 5113-16? 2. How does the messige of Calls nal parting from Lesbia (1L.21-20 echo Sha reverse his descnpton of his orginal infatuation with her (51-12)?cams st daiverar nor xv0s fos Berane That man appens to me tobe equal Eger dnp, deg Eves to. tothe gods sho sits oppeite dave nat meray dv gure you and istensto your sweet voice 7g branaser ‘lone athand al ais info, «8 x" vad your lovely laughter, which truly sets stpBiaw év rien iasdascrs he heart im my breast alae Woman with Lyre Museo Archeologico Syrscue, Sic