Catullus Poems-1-60

Go back to list of Catullus' poems

Poem 1

Put an introductory note here.

Cui dono lepidum novum libellum

lepidus -a -um: fine, elegant

arida modo pumice expolitum?

jksjdf s djf asjdf a sd

[1] [2]

Media:Test.mp3

meas esse aliquid putare nugas.

commentary

first line \ blah

blah

Poem 2

et acris solet incitare morsus,

Is passer the subject of solet? I've got the sense, but I'm not sure how exactly to put it all together. Can we possibly go over how pronouns work?

Actually puella is the subject, translate 'she is accustomed . . .'

What case are acris and morsus? (I am thinking they must be genitive plural, but can't see how that makes sense...)

both are accusative plural, objects of incitare. acris would be acres in prose; this is a poetic accusative plural form in the third declension. He does this again just below . . . tristis [=tristes]. . . curas. That final i is long.

Poem 4

Catullus' literary epigram reveals the retirement of a trusted boat and dedicates it to Castor and Pollux. Normally, literary epigrams are used to tell the story of a person, but Catullus jokingly writes an epigram for his phaselus. He personifies the boat to be comparable to an aging human being in numerous areas by giving it voice, little palms, and the ability to deny. Written in iambic senarii, the meter could perhaps also help describe how fast the little boat really was. (Garrison Student's Catullus III edition)

Phaselus ille, quem videtis, hospites,

phaselus- named after a Greek word used for bean pod; built for speed; Catullus either boat the bark to build the phaselus or built it himself (Garrison Student's Catullus III Edition)

hospites- vocative ("guests"); typical Greek epigram address to a passing stranger (Garrison Student's Catullus III edition)

ait fuisse navium celerrimus,

celerrimus- because "celerrimus" is in an indirect statement, the proper case should be accusative (celerrimum); indirect statements usually take an accusative subject, but Catullus used a rare form that took the gender of phaselus (Garrison Student's Catullus III edition)

neque ullius natantis impetum trabis

trabis- metonymy for boat (Garrison Student's Catullus III edition)

nequisse praeterire, sive palmulis

palmulis- diminutive ("little palms"); hapax legomenon- only used in line 17 of poem 4 (Garrison Student's Catullus III edition)

opus foret volare sive linteo.

linteo- translated as "linen cloth", it is a metonymy for canvas sail (Garrison Student's Catullus III edition)

Et hoc negat minacis hadriatici

Lines 6-9 describe five areas in which the phaselus has traveled previously (Garrison Student's Catullus III edition)

Propontida trucemve Ponticum sinum,

Propontida- Greek Accusative (Garrison Student's Catullus III edition)

comata silva; nam Cyrotio in iugo

Cytorus- the ridge in the area was known for its forests and provided much lumber for shipbuilding (Garrison Student's Catullus III edition)

Amastri Pontica et Cytore buxifer,

buxifer- hapax legomenon; "boxwood bearing" (Garrison Student's Catullus III edition)

tuo imbuisse palmulas in aequore,

imbuisse palmulas- "to have dipped its little palms"; personification of the phaselus (Garrison Student's Catullus III edition)

et inde tot per impotentia freta

impotentia freta- the phaselus has carried its master through many wild seas; therefore, Catullus' trust in his phaselus is great because it has taken him on so many journeys (Garrison Student's Catullus III edition)

sibi esse facta, cum veniret a mari

sibi- dative of advantage (Garrison Student's Catullus III edition)

gemelle Castor et gemelle Castoris.

gemelle- vocative; "little twin"; diminutive of gemine Castor and Pollux- know for the constellation of the Gemini in the stars

Poem 5

Introduction

In poem 5, passion is in the air between Catullus and Lesbia. Instead of listening to the snide comments of old strict men, Catullus encourages Lesbia to celebrate the love they have for each other and to cherish the life they have together. Since death brings a perpetual sleep, Catullus remarks how life is too brief to waste on rumors. Catullus declares that he and Lesbia shower each other with numerous kisses, so everyone, including the envious old men, will loose count.

The poem is in hendecasyllabic metre, and is one of Catullus' first poems about his beloved Lesbia.

Translation

Lesbia, Let us live and let us love

and let us not give a damn for all the mutterings of those

more critical old men!

The sun each day rises and sets:

For us mortals, the short day of life falls once and for all.

We must sleep through an eternal night

Give me a thousand kisses, and then a hundred

then a thousand others, then a second hundred

then a further thousand, then a hundred.

Then once we've counted up many thousands,

let's muddle all the totals, so that we don't know the number,

nor can any bad person envy us

Even if he knows the sum of kisses

Vivamus mea Lesbia, atque amemus,

Vivamus...Amemus: emphatic present subjective: Let us live...let us love! (Quinn,1973)

rumoresque senum severiorum

severiorum: 'more critical than some' (Quinn, 1973)

rumoresque: not 'gossip' but rather 'muttering' (Thomson, 1997).

Senex, senis, m: old man

omnes unius aestimemus assis!

as, assis, m: a copper coin of negligible value; like a penny

Lines 1-3 employ language of the account book. Assis and aestimemus represent value (Thomson, 1997).

Lines 2-3: Literal translation: 'and may we appraise all the rumors of rather strict old men at one penny!' By appraising the mutterings of old men with a penny, Quinn (1972) suggests how Catullus and Lesbia choose to ignore the rumors.

soles occidere et redire possunt:

Sol, solis, m: the sun

Soles:= ' the sun each day' (Quinn, 1973)

nobis cum semel occidit brevis lux,

Semel: Colloquial reinforced by cum= 'once and for all' (Quinn, 1973)

nobis: dative of agent

nobis with dormienda and occidit: 'for us mortals' (Quinn, 1973)

The brief light of the sun is a symbol of human life (Quinn, 1973)

lux, lucis, f: light

nox est perpetua una dormienda.

Dormienda: gerundive with esse

Dormienda with nox est: passive periphrastic construction

Dormio, ire, ivi, itum: sleep

da mi basia mille, deinde centum,

Da: present singular imperative of dare

Mille, pl. milia: a thousand

dein mille altera, dein secunda centum,

alter, era, erum: a second, one or the other

dein, cum milia multa fecerimus,

Fecerimus: Future perfect indicative from facere

The strong repetition in lines 7- 10 may symbolically relate to a sexual climax

conturbabimus illa, ne sciamus,

Conturbabimus goes with illa not sciamus

Conturbabimus: future indicative; symbolizes the flurry of surrendering to passion (Quinn, 1973).

aut ne quis malus inuidere possit,

Invideo, ere, idi, isum: to look at with ill will or envy

quis malus refers back to senum

cum tantum sciat esse basiorum.

Sciat: Temporal; present subjective by attraction (Quinn, 1973).

tantum...basiorum: 'the sum of' (Thomson, 1997).

cum tantum sciat esse basiorum: Concessive Clause

When a cum clause is followed by tamen, it makes cum mean 'although.'

Poem 12

A poem of wit, this hendecasyllabic poem tells of an encounter between Catullus and Asinius Marrucine, who stole an important napkin from Catullus. Catullus is not so concerned with the price of the object as he is with the sentimental value of the napkin since it was a gift to him from his friends Fabullus and Veranius, abroad in Spain. After insulting Asinius for his lack of moral behavior, Catullus offers a choice: either return the napkin or Catullus will continue to write insulting poems about Asinius, soiling the reputation of Asinius. The poem tends to change tone throughout, first with contempt towards Asinius for his poor manners, then to complimentary, praising Pollio, Fabullus and Veranius.

Translation

Asinius Marrucines, you do not use your left hand

well, at dinner parties:

you steal napkins of the careless.

Do you think this is clever? You're out of it, silly fool;

this thing is as dirty and unattractive as you like.

You don't believe me? Believe your brother Pollio

who would like your thefts to be exchanged

even for a large sum of money; for the boy is

filled of wit and cleverness.

Therefore either expect 300 insulting poems

or return the napkin to me,

which does not move me by a price

but it is a keepsake from my friend.

For Fabullus and Veranius sent me napkins

from Saetabis out of Spain as a gift;

it is essential that I love these as I love

my little Veranius and Fabullus.

Marrucine Asini, manu sinistra

Asinius' cognomen is Marrucinus, yet word order does not matter except for metrical reasons (Quinn)

sinistra - refers to a hand which does dirty work

non belle uteris: in ioco atque vino

in ioco atque vino - literally in joke and wine, colloquially 'at dinner parties' (Quinn)

tollis lintea neglegentiorum.

tollis is a polite euphemism for 'steal' meaning 'lift' lintea - these are linen handkerchiefs carried and used for wiping the face or at meal's for wiping the hands (Fordyce). The Romans ate with their hands and continued until forks were introduced in the 15th century (Garrison). neglegentiorum is in the plural and as so indicates that Asinius may be a habitual thief (Quinn).

Hoc salsum esse putas? Fugit te, inepte:

salsum - 'clever' (Garrison) Fugit te - the subject is not expressed and here it means 'you're out of it'

quamvis sordida res et invenusta est.

quamvis sordida - 'as tacky as you like'

invenusta - 'uncool' This was a popular word for Catullus and his friends. The term occurs in Catullus three times (Garrison)

Non credis mihi? Crede Pollioni

Pollioni - most scholars agree this is Gaius Asinius Pollio, a friend of Virgil and Horace, and an orator and historian born in 76 B.C.

fratri, qui tua furta vel talento

talento - abl. of price; a talent is a large sum of Greek money

mutari velit - est enim leporum

mutari velit - potential subjunctive; Pollio would like to pay off his brother's theft, but unfortunately can not (Quinn)

differtus puer ac facetiarum.

starting with est in line 8, this is describing Pollio, who happened to have a witty sense of humor (Quinn)

Quare aut hendecasyllabos trecentos

This happens to be a hendecasyllabic poem, which further stresses the matter that if Catullus does not receive his napkin back, he will write more insulting poems about Asinius

quod me no movet aestimatione,

quod - relative pronoun

verum est mnemosynum mei sodalis.

mei sodalis - translated as plural but written in singular because the plural form does not fit the lyric meter

mnemosynum - Greek word only used here in Latin (Garrison)

Nam sudaria Saetaba ex Hiberis

Saetaba - from Saetabis (modern-day Jativa) in Tarraconensis, Spain. Saetaba is the center of the Spanish linen industry and produced the finest flax in Europe. Here Hiberis is not in reference to the Ebro River (Hiberus) but Spain (Fordyce).

miserunt mihi muneri Fabullus

miserunt - this tense suggests that Fabullus and Veranius are still abroad (Quinn)

muneri - dative of purpose 'as a gift'

Et Veranius; haec amem necesse est

amem: subjunctive ut clause with an implied 'ut'

Poem 13

Catullus opens the poem as an invitation poem to his friend Fabullus, but it doesn’t take long to pick up on the parody. He completely inverts the rolls that host and guest take is dinner parties. Instead of announcing the menu he will be serving, he demands a list of things Fabullus most bring in order to dine well. However, in return to make up for the poor meal Catullus promises to give Fabullus meros amores in the form of an unguentum. In true Catullus fashion, he finds a way to indirectly praise his lover, Lesbia. The poem is written in hendecasyllabics meter and is in the subgenre invitation poems.

Cenabis bene, mi Fabulle, apud me

You will dine well, my Fabullus, at the house of mine

Cenabis- future tense denotes an invitation (Edmunds).

paucis, si tibi di favent, diebus,

in a few days, if the gods give favor to you-

paucis...diebus: hyperbaton emphasizes the vagueness of the invitation

si tecum attuleris bonam atque magnam

if you will have brought with you a good and big

si tecum attuleris... sets off a long of a future more vivid conditional clause

cenam, non sine candida puella

dinner, not without a beautiful girl

candida- Lit.: fair-skinned, which was an advantageous trait for women to have, implies beauty, wit, and charm (Garrison).

non sine-litotes affirms the importance of a charming date (Garrison).

et vino et sale et omnibus cachinnis.

and wine and wit and all your laughter;

sale- means salt and wit (Garrison)

Haec si, inquam, attuleris, venuste noster,

if you will have brought these things, I say, our charming one,

inquam: I say

venuste noster implies that the dinner party is for urbane people (Bernstein)

cenabis bene; nam tui Catulli

you will dine well; for your purse of Catullus

plenus sacculus est aranearum.

is full of cobwebs.

aranea, -ae, f.: cobweb

Sed contra accipies meros amores,

But in return you will receive pure love,

meros amores- pure love;

merum, meri, n.: is undiluted wine. At Roman dinner parties the host was charged with controlling the strength of the wine my mixing it with water. Merum means pure or undiluted.

seu quid suavius elegantiusve est:

or if what is more pleasant or more elegant:

nam unguentum dabo, quod meae puellae

for I will give to you a perfume, which

unguentum, -i, n.: a fragrant ointment, perfume; because the unguentum is supplied by Venere Cupidinesque it has inherent erotic qualities. Most likely its a metaphor for Lesbia's beauty (Edmunds).

donarunt Veneres Cupidinesque;

Venuses and Cupidsgave to my girl,

donarunt- syncope; full form donaverunt

quod tu cum olfacies, deos rogabis

which when you smell, you will ask the gods,

totum ut te faciant, Fabulle, nasum.

that they make you, Fabullus, a whole nose.

ut te faciant-jussive

totum...nasum- hyperbaton; emphasizes the desire to be a nose (Bernstein)

Poem 16

quod sunt molliculi, parum pudicum.

Is pudicum just a syncopated pudicorum (gen, masculine, pl)?

no, just accusative singular, agreeing with me in the previous line

Poem 34

Introduction to Catullus 34

Poem 34 is an uncharacteristic work of Catullus. Instead of celebrating emotion or his love for Lesbia he chooses to write in the form of a hymn. While it is contested among scholars whether this hymn was meant for actual performance, Catullus still maintains the traditional structure of a hymn. A traditional hymn contains an introduction, invocation, celebration, and prayer. In this hymn/poem Catullus celebrates the Roman Goddess Diana. Through the voices of pure and chaste young boys and girls everything from Diana's origin, affiliations, and powers are celebrated. The hymn closes with the traditional prayer for the preservation of the Roman races. The meter is six separate stanzas of three glyconics with a pherecratean following. (Garrison)

Translation Catullus 34

We are the chaste boys and girls

Under the tulage of Diana:

Let us chaste boys and girls

Sing about Diana

O daughter of Latona, great daughter

Of greatest Jupiter,

Whose mother bore you

Under a Delian olive tree.

So that you might be mistress of the mountains

And of the vital woods

And hidden glades

And sounding river:

You have been called Lucina

Juno by women in the pain of childbirth,

You have been called powerful Trivia

And Luna by your borrowed light;

You Goddess, by your monthly course

Mark the journey of a year,

You fill up the rustic houses of

Farmers with good crops.

May you be holy by whatever name

Pleases you, And as you have been

Accustomed before, preserve the nation

Of Romulus with good power.

Dianae sumus in fide

Lines 1-4 serve as an introduction. According to Garrison the introduction of a hymn, "identifies the performers and the object of their praise," which in this case are the young, pure boys and girls praising the Goddess Diana.

Dianae: The Goddess Diana is the is the Roman equivalent of Artemis. In Roman mythology she is most commonly associated with the moon, fertility, and the woodlands as can be seen in this poem.

In fide: under the tutelage of. (Garrison)

Diana Bathing, Antoine Watteau

puellae et pueri integri:

Integri: from, integrus, integra, integrum is traditionally defined as unmarried; however, an alternate definition is ‘having both parents alive’ which was a requirement from some religious ceremonies in the Roman religious tradition. (Quinn, 192).

Dianam pueri integri

Dianam:accusative, translated "we sing about Diana."

O latonia, maximi

Lines 5-12 serve as an invocation. According to Garrison a traditional hymn requires that the name and origin of the divine subject be addressed.

Latonis: daughter of Latona. Latona is the Roman adaptation of the Greek Titan Leto. Leto is described to be "gentle to men and to the deathless gods." The original Greek myth is that Artemis and Apollo were the twin children of Zeus and Leto. Leto is one of the very few Titans to have a substantial cult following. This is due primarily to the immense following of her children Artemis and Apollo.

Leto, late 6th century BC

British Museum, London.

magna progenies Iovis,

Jovis:Jupiter is the Roman equivalent of the Greek Zeus. He was known as the most powerful of all the god as well as closely affiliated with the sky. Jupiter was the father of Romulus and Remus and the patron saint of Rome. (Oxford Classical Dictionary)

Jupiter et Thétis by Jean Ingres, 1811.

quam mater prope Delliam

quam: introduces a relative clause.

The Island of Delos

deposivit oliviam,

deposivit: deposuit from, depono, deponere, deposui/depoosivi,depositum = to lay down (in birth), (Thomson)

monitum domina ut fores

In lines 13-20 all of the places referenced would be common locations associated with the Greek Goddess Artemis and the Roman equivalent Diana. (Thomson)

ut: the beginning of a purpose clause, "so that"

saltuumque reconditorum

saltuum: Saltus, saltus (m.) = a wild rough woodland. (Fordyce)

amniumque sonantum:

sonatum: sonatium for metrical purposes.

Iunodicta puerperis,

Though Lunina and Juno are not commonly associated, in this passage Catullus is merging the two mythological figures and naming Diana, "Lucina Juno." There is much contention among scholars as to why Diana is referred to as "Lucina Juno" in this passage.(Quinn)

dolentibus...puerperis: dative of agent. (Quinn)

tu potens Trivia et notho es

Trivia: Trivia, also known as Hectate, is the goddess of the crossroads who is commonly associated with Diana.

dicta lumine Luna;

dicta: a more formal version of diceris. (Foredyce)

nothon...lumine: instrumental ablative.

"borrowed light" associates Diana with the moon.

rustica agricolae bonis

agricolae: dative

tecta frugibus exples.

tecta: tectum, i (n) = house

Sis quocumque tibi placet

Lines 21-24 serve as a prayer to preserve and protect the Roman race. In this poem Catullus maintains the ritual tradition of addressing the Goddess by all of her names. This tradition ensures that the multi-functioning deities of the roman tradition will address the specific problem of the individual who is praying. This final passage is described by Fordyce as “an escape clause.” This clause ensures that all the other names for Diana which the speaker omits are addressed and his prayers are heard and fulfilled. The escape clause attempts to prevent any inaccuracy which the poet could incur in addressing the god or goddess.

Sis: jussive.

anitque ut solita es, bona

antique: adverb

sospites ope gentem.

sospites: subjunctive jussive form of sospito, sospitare, sospitavi, sospitatus = to preserve.

Poem 42

Introduction to Catullus 42

Catullus 42 expresses the poet’s anger at a woman who refuses to return his writing tablets to him. In order to get the tablets back, Catullus blends his own habit of writing invective poems with the Roman custom of flagitatio, in which a crowd is paid to publicly harass a person, embarrassing him with scandalous vulgarities and insults until they give in to whatever the demands may be (Fraenkel 49). Historically, the critical approaches to 42 have reflected contemporary social norms, with some critics reading the vulgarity of the abuse as “a wry critique of flagitatio as a judicial institution” (Selden qtd in Wray 116), while more recent critics find it less difficult to believe that Catullus simply meant what he said (Wray 118). Failing to embarrass her into returning the tablets, Catullus tries a different tactic: flattering her. Deveneyt 18:13, 28 April 2008 (EDT)

Translation

Come to me, poems, as many as you are

all of you, from all directions, all of you, as many as you are.

The disgusting slut thinks I’m a joke,

and says that she will not return your tablets to me,

how do you like that?

Let us harass her and shout our demands.

Who is she, you ask? She, whom you see now,

strutting indecently, like a vulgar actress,

laughing annoyingly like an ugly dog showing its teeth.

Surround her, and shout our demands:

“Foul slut, give back the tablets!

Give them back, you foul slut!”

You don’t care? Oh, you mud, you whorehouse,

or if there’s anything that could be more depraved, that’s what you are.

But we must not, however, let it go at this.

So if nothing else is possible,

let us wring a blush from her brazen dog’s face.

Shout out again in a louder voice:

“Foul slut, give back the tablets!

Give them back, you foul slut!”

But we’re getting nowhere, she is not moved at all.

Your method and your mode must be changed,

if you’re going to make any further progress:

“Fine and chaste girl, pretty please, return the tablets!”

Listen to a recording of Catullus 42

-Read by Tristan Deveney

Deveneyt 18:13, 28 April 2008 (EDT)

Adeste, hendecasyllabi, quot estis

The choice of hendecasyllabics is deliberate, since they are "the proper metre for abuse" (Fordyce ad 42 line 1) which Catullus also uses against the napkin thief in 12. Deveneyt 18:48, 28 April 2008 (EDT)

omnes undique, quotquot estis omnes.

The repetition of omnes in this line "emphasizes the idea of all the hendecasyllables in the world" (Fordyce ad 42 line 2) and creates the image of a massive crowd in uproar, which Catullus is now unleashing.Deveneyt 18:48, 28 April 2008 (EDT)

Iocum me putat esse moecha turpis,

The exact identity of the "moecha turpis" is never provided, but the target was probably not Lesbia (Lenchantin qtd in Quinn ad 42 line 3). Quinn argues that it may have been Ameana of poems 41 and 43 (he describes her in his notes on 41 as " ‘the girlfriend of the bankrupt from Formiae’ that is, Mamurra" ). Fraenkel argues that we should resist this impulse to try to figure out who the woman is: "I try never to ask a question when I see that the poet is determined not to answer it" (49), implying that the strength of the poem lies in the vague nature of its target. Deveneyt 18:48, 28 April 2008 (EDT)

et negat mihi vestra reddituram

There is disagreement among critics about whether the vestra should be nostra instead, depending on whether the tablets belong to the poems themselves or to Catullus and the poems. Fraenkel believes it should be vestra, since "it is required by the legal or quasi-legal fiction on which the whole poem is based. The poems are themselves considered the legitimate owners of the codicilli" and therefore have a reason to be indignant(46). Deveneyt 18:48, 28 April 2008 (EDT)

pugillaria, si pati potestis.

Pugillaria, pugillarium n. pl. – writing tablets. Fordyce has a thorough description of what these tablets were like: “Pugillaria, called codicilli below and tabellae in 50 were wax-coated wooden tablets, with a rim to prevent rubbing, hinged together in pairs or sets by straps at the side, and used for writing which was not meant to be permanent” (ad 42 line 5). He also describes how they were used to send messages back and forth, with the answer to be written on the tablets by the recipient: this might have been the reason why the unnamed woman had them in the first place, even though it is never clearly explained in the poem itself. Fordyce speculates that Catullus might have been using them to send her a note proposing a romantic encounter (he notes that just such a use of pugillaria is found in Ovid). Her failure to reply or to return the tablets would then be a rejection of the poet’s advances (ad 42 line 5).

Commentators vary slightly about the idiom of the second half of this line. Fordyce says that si pati potestis is "a current formula of indignation" something similar to "si dis placet, 'just imagine, if you please'" (ad 42 line 5). I prefer the more natural English translation by Quinn, of "how do you like that?"(ad 42 line 5). Deveneyt 18:48, 28 April 2008 (EDT)

Persequamur eam et reflagitemus.

Reflagito [1] – demand repeatedly in a loud voice. Persequor, persequi, persecutus - harass.

Both verbs here are jussive subjunctives.

Fraenkel describes flagitatio as a way for an offended person to “take the law into their own hands […] He gathers a boisterous crowd either in front of the housedoor of his adversary or in the market square or some other public place. The crowd is instructed to shout against the guilty man demanding that he should do what so far he has been unwilling to do. The shouting, in the most unflattering language, is performed in consise, roughly rhythmical phrases […] If the man happens to be indoors, his attackers will shout against the house-front; otherwise, they must waylay him in the street or the market square, surround him, deafen his ears with their incriminations and, in doing so, attract the curiosity of the neighbours and any passer-by. The fear of defamation—a formidable threat in a relatively small community—is more likely than not to induce the offender to yield to the accuser’s demand” (49). He also notes that, “To prevent his escape, his pursuers have to surround him, circumsistere. That is what the crowd of Catullus’ hendecasyllabic most efficiently achieves” (50). Deveneyt 18:48, 28 April 2008 (EDT)

Quae sit, quaeritis? Illa, quam videtis

videtis – the sense here is "here she comes!" according to Quinn (ad 42 line 7). Deveneyt 18:48, 28 April 2008 (EDT)

turpe incedere, mimice ac moleste

Incedo, incedere, incessi – strut

Thompson notes that "Gait was regarded as a clue to the character" (Thompson ad 42 line 8).

Turpe is used adverbially (Fordyce ad 42 line 8)

Mimice is also adverbial. According to Fordyce, it refers to “a vulgar comedienne [...] The mimus (the same word is used for the entertainment and the actor in it) was a popular farce originally imported from Magna Graecia and largely consisted of extempore impersonation and gesticulation [...] women, who were excluded from ‘regular’ drama, acted in the mime” (ad 42 line 8). Deveneyt 18:48, 28 April 2008 (EDT)

ridentem catuli ore Gallicani.

The image here is of a snarling, ugly dog showing its teeth (Quinn ad 42 line 9), even though the woman is supposed to be laughing--she is not only stripped of charm and beauty (which, if we believe the argument that Catullus was originally trying to set up a romantic encounter, would otherwise have been the focus of one of his poems), but reduced to a sub-human animal. Deveneyt 18:48, 28 April 2008 (EDT)

redde putida moecha, codicillos!"

Fraenkel: “The word-order of the first line, moecha putida, redde, is reversed in the second line, redde, putida moecha. We may call this a stylistic device of popular eloquence. It serves in a simple yet effective manner to express strong emotion” (48). Deveneyt 18:48, 28 April 2008 (EDT)

Non assis facis? O lutum, lupanar,

Assis facis: made of a penny’s (negligible) value; that is, she doesn’t care. Quinn clarifies that these two lines are "an aside flung at the girl" (ad 42 lines 13-14) Deveneyt 18:48, 28 April 2008 (EDT)

aut si perditius potes quid esse.

perditior, perditius - more ruined or more corrupt (Quinn ad 42 line 14). Deveneyt 18:48, 28 April 2008 (EDT)

Sed non est tamen hoc satis putandum.

non est tamen hoc : Fordyce translates this line as "what we have been doing is not enough after all (tamen)" (ad 42 line 15), while Quinn describes the sense of the line as being closer to " ‘we must not let it go at this’ – i.e. give in” (ad 42 line 15). Deveneyt 18:48, 28 April 2008 (EDT)

ferreo canis exprimamus ore.

ferreus, a, um - made of iron. Fordyce describes the meaning here as "a picturesque alternative for os durum; we use another metal and say ‘brazen’" (Fordyce ad 42 line 17).

exprimo, exprimere, expressi, expressm - Fordyce translates this as "‘let us wring a blush’"(ad 42 line 17) while Quinn writes " ‘force upon’ – The word implies effort; it is also the word used of sculptors, etc., moulding the features of a portrait" (ad 42 line 17).

Fraenkel: “quod si non aliud potest, ruborem / ferreo canis exprimamus ore. If we want to recite these lines properly, the soft backsound of the English R will not do; we have to round our tongue and produce unashamedly a series of rolling and sustained Italian R’s. It is this sound above all that here suggests the ugliness of the dog. To the Roman ear the snarling of a dog was disagreeable; at an early stage they called R the ‘littera canina’” (48). Deveneyt 18:48, 28 April 2008 (EDT)

Sed nil proficimus, nihil mouetur.

Fordyce translates this line as "‘But we are making no progress; she isn’t worrying. You must change our plan and method, if you can make some progress that way’ […] with possum the idiom is entirely logical: the possibility is present, though the realization of it is future" (ad 42 line 21).

proficio, proficere, profeci, profectum - make headway

Deveneyt 18:48, 28 April 2008 (EDT)

" pudica et proba, redde codicillos."

Of course, pudica et proba is ironic here; Catullus is merely changing his methods in hopes that flattering her will be more productive than trying to shame her, and there is nothing to suggest that his anger has gone away (Thompson ad 42 line 24). The phrase "pretty please" might express this excessively pleading tone in English, more so that just a literal translation of the line. Deveneyt 18:45, 28 April 2008 (EDT)

Poem 51

Introduction, fairly literal translation, and commentary.

2008. Erica G. Pitcairn. --Pitcaire

[51]Introduction

Catullus 51 is clearly based off of a poem by Sappho, a Greek lyric poet during the second half of the 7th century B.C. Sappho was well known, and well loved; in antiquity she was even sometimes called "the tenth muse". She lived on the island Lesbos, and often wrote about the love between women or girls. Sappho is also attributed with the creation of the Sapphic Strophe, the form and meter recreated in poem 51. In the poem that Catullus loosely translates in poem 51, Sappho describes her reaction to watching a woman sit with a male suitor (Hornblower and Spawforth).

In Poem 51, Catullus makes some significant changes. Most noticeably, he changes the gender of the poet, thus affecting the overall dynamics - particularly the relationship between the envied suitor and the poet. As Fordyce notes, "Catullus is not contrasting himself with someone more fortunate, but finding expression of his own rapture".

Some speculate that poem 51 is, chronologically, the first of the Lesbia poems. Clodia is generally thought to be the lover referred to as "Lesbia"; assigning a disguising pseudonym that had an equal amount of syllables as the actual name was a common practice in love poetry, to protect the identity of the beloved. However, in the context of this poem (especially if it originate here) the pseudonym takes on a double meaning: being both a pseudonym, a tribute to his beloved by referring to the beauty contests held at Lesbia (Quinn), and a reference to the great poet Sappho herself (Quinn; Thomson). Wilkinson supposes that poem 51 was the first poem sent to Clodia, and that it functioned as a sort of test. If she were in love with him, she would note Catullus's originality and deeper intentions. On the other hand, if she was not interested in him, Catullus could escape embarrassment because the poem was, after all, "only" a translation of a famous poem - nothing too special, or with too much meaning. This theory explains many of the departures from the original Greek, especially in the beginning. In these first lines there is, according to Quinn, no apparent reason to diverge from the Greek. However, these divergences would be the most notable, as the first few lines would be the most famous (Quinn).

Furthermore, Catullus only translates three strophes, adding a fourth that diverges from the original and is completely unique. This fourth strophe is the main cause of controversy relating to this poem. Whereas the first three strophes discuss Catullus's reactions to being violently in love with Lesbia, strophe four abruptly attributes his wild claims to merely the adverse affects of otium - the perilous state of having too much free-time. Why the change of tone? Why the familiar, but cold, "moralizing soliloquy" (Fordyce)? Especially because it's tacked on to such a famous poem, it must have specific implications. Some scholars believe that it simply an accident of history, similar to the fate that befell other Catullus poems; in other instances, fragments of Catullus poems have been attributed to poems that they are not actually a part of (2b, 14b). If something similar happened here, strophe four is the beginning of an original poem, and any more translation of Sappho that might have existed is now lost (Fordyce).

Other scholars believe that it is not a mistake at all, but a conscious poetic choice. They argue that despite the apparent differences isolated by modern scholars, it does, in fact, unite with the rest of the poem (Wray).

Some, however, think that this section was added later: a bitter revision after the relationship went sour. This theory relates poem 51 with poem 11. Not only is poem 11 the only other Catullus poem written in sapphic strophe, it also repeats the telling identidem that occurs in line 3 (Quinn). Poem 11, however, is very different in content. Although it is dealing with Lesbia, it is through Furius and Aurelius that Catullus sends a message of scorn. As such, it is often thought to be the final repudiation of Lesbia (Garrison). In this scenario, Catullus re-read 51 in preparation for (or during) the writing of poem 11, and added the last strophe in disgust (Quinn).

[51] Translation

It seems to me that he is equal with a god,
that he, if it is proper [to say], surpasses a god,
he who, sitting across [from you], constantly
watches you and hears you

sweetly laughing. This snatches all the
sense from miserable me: for as soon as
I look upon you, Lesbia, there is left for me nothing
<of voice in the mouth,>

but [my] tongue is numb,[and] a thin flame spreads
through my body; [my] ears ring with a sound
that is yours completely; [my] eyes are covered
by a double night.

Leisure, Catullus, is aggravating for you:
with leisure you rashly come forward and, to excess, desire riotously:
leisure ruined the first kings
and the wealthy cities.

Ille mi par esse deo videtur,

Catullus repeats ille, creating an emphasis on "the man" that does not exist in Sapho.

"In Sappho he is merely a peg on which to hang the theme of envy...for [Catullus] the man is more important;
[Catullus] hopes to supplant him, and succeed to his unique happiness" (Quinn)

Par: par, paris. equal, comparable, fitting.

Mi: abbreviated form of dative mihi.

Indirect Statement Alert: Both esse and superare (line 2) are infinitives relying on videtur mi (it seems to me that...)

ille, si fas est, superare divos,

This line is not directly from Sappho, but heightens the emotion unique to Catullus(Quinn).

Fas: fas (n). Indeclinable. Divine command or law; that which is proper, lawful or allowed.

Si fas est: A conventional Roman formula of caution, lest the claim be offensive to the gods. Here is possibly used to retain a serious tone in light of the hyperbole (Fordyce; Quinn).

qui sedens adversus identidem te

identidem: from idem et idem. Repeatedly, continually.

Whereas in Sappho the instance is specific, with identidem the situation becomes generalized (Fordyce). This emphasizes the continuing relationship between Lesbia and her onlooker (Ille...qui), who's role will hopefully soon fall to Catullus.

dulce ridentem, misero quod omnis

Dulce: adverb. sweetly.

Ridentem: rideo, ridere, risi, risum. Accusative participle acting as the direct object of audit.

Quod: qui, quae, quod. Relative summing up the past few lines (Quinn; Fordyce), and the subject of eripit (line 6).

Misero: miser - era - erum. Wretched, unhappy, love-sick. Dative agreeing with mihi (line 6). This sentiment does not occur in Sappho. It is typical Catullus, and a "stock epithet of the unhappy lover" (Quinn). Some speculate that Catullus added it in order to introduce the poet early on as male - clearly an important distinction from the original Sappho (Thomson).

eripit sensus mihi: nam simul te,

Sensus: sensus - us (m). Sense: physically, emotionally, or intellectually. Agrees with omnis in line 5 ("all feeling").

Lesbia, aspexi, nihil est super mi

Super: super is used adverbially, modifying est (Quinn). However, because there is no adverbial English equivalent, it might be easier to think of it as part of the verb supersum, admittedly just a combination of super + est (Garrison; Thomson).

supersum - esse - fui - futurus: to be over and above, either as a remnant or a superfluity; to be left, remain.

Mi: see line 1.

<vocis in ore,>

This line has been lost. Based on context, however, various scholars have filled it in. Almost all versions contain vocis. Here, we have Doering's rendition. Other substitutions include vocis amanti by Meissner, guttere vocis by Westphal, and Lesbia vocis by Friedrich (Fordyce). Although vocis in ore seems to be popular, Quinn explains that Friedrich's Lesbia vocis may account for the missing line, as it repeats Lesbia in the same position as in the previous line (right at the beginning).

Vocis: vox, vocis (f). Genitive ("nothing[nihil] of voice...")

lingua sed torpet, tenuis sub artus

Note that Lucretius describes the symptoms of fear in language similar to that used here to describe the symptoms of love.

Torpet: torpeo - ere. to be sluggish, inert, inactive, numb.

Tenuis: tenuis - e (adj.) thin, subtle, fine.

Sub artus: artus - us. Usually found in the plural, meaning limbs or joints. Sub artus, then, is literally "under limbs", meaning through the whole body; right to the core.

flamma demanat, sonitu suopte

Demanat: demano - are. run or drip down. From mano - are: to flow, drip, or spread.

Suopte: suus - a - um + pte.
-pte: strenthens the possession (-met functions the same way).

tintinant aures, gemina teguntur

gemina: geminus - a - um. twin, double. Because of the meter (assuming the text is "sound" - see note in line 12), gemina must not be a nominative going with lumina, but an ablative agreeing with nocte.

lumina nocte.

Lumina: lumen, luminis (n). Although it literally means "lights", Catullus often uses lumina to mean "lights of the eyes", or simply "eyes". This is called metonymy, and happens because eyes are associated with and take in light.

gemina teguntur lumina nocte: literally "[my] eyes are covered by a double night". Note how gemina and nocte quite literally surround teguntur lumina - the covered eyes. This is a bold, sophisticated statement that "seems suspiciously out of place in a poem whose language is otherwise so simple" (Fordyce), and there has been some discussion as to whether or not this is, in fact, the correct latin. If it is correct, however, it means that Catullus incorporated hints of an "Alexandrian conceit" (Fordyce). For an insightful discussion of the frequently overlooked Hellenic traditions that are not strictly Sapphic but that possibly influence this poem, see Wray pages 89-106.

Otium, Catulle, tibi molestum est:

This line begins the controversial fourth strophe discussed in the introduction. Introducing the concept of otium and addressing Catullus himself as the poet, it makes a severe break not only from Sappho, but also (arguably) from the beginning three strophes.

Molestum: molestus - a - um. burdensome, troublesome, annoying.
Interestingly, a tunica molesta (especially found in Juvenal) is a tunic imbued with flammable materials "put on condemned criminals and set alight" (Simpson). Taking into account the fire imagery of lines 9 and 10, this perhaps has implications relating to otium and Catullus's poor situation.

otio exsultas nimiumque gestis:

Exsultas and gestis: Neither of these verbs translates well into English. They both refer first to physical restlessness, with an implied emotional riot (Fordyce).

exsulto - are: (freq. of exsilio) to leap up frequently or violently; to rejoice exceedingly.

gestio - ire: exult, be excited, run riot; to desire eagerly, to long.

Nimium: subst. of nimius - a - um: very great, excessive.

otium et reges prius et beatas

Beatas: beatus - a - um. happy, blessed, and - in this case - wealthy.

participle of the verb beo - are: to bless, make happy, enrich.

perdidit urbes.

Otium was thought to have adverse affects on a community. Catullus laments it's adverse affects on individuals in other poems, but for more exposition on the overall social dynamic see Fraenkel on Horace 212-13 (Fordyce).