Catullus 2, 13, 40

Catullus 2

Passer, deliciae meae puellae,

quocum ludere, quem in sinu tenere,

cui primum digitum dare appetenti

et acris solet incitare morsus,

cum desiderio meo nitenti

carum nescioquid lubet iocari

ut solaciolum sui doloris,

credo, ut tum gravis acquiescat ardor:

tecum ludere sicut ipsa possem

et tristis animi levare curas!

What is this poem about?

• Catullus has promised to give his girlfriend a sparrow

• Catullus' girlfriend has a sparrow which she provokes into biting her

• Catullus is watching the sparrow and falling in love with it

• Catullus is in love and is talking to a sparrow for advice

Catullus 2

Passer, deliciae meae puellae,

quocum ludere, quem in sinu tenere,

cui primum digitum dare appetenti

et acris solet incitare morsus,

cum desiderio meo nitenti

carum nescioquid lubet iocari

ut solaciolum sui doloris,

credo, ut tum gravis acquiescat ardor:

tecum ludere sicut ipsa possem

et tristis animi levare curas!

*In lines 9-10, what does Catullus wish?*

• That he could play with the sparrow and feel better too

• That his girlfriend would love him as much as she loves the bird

• That his girlfriend would play with him instead of the bird

Catullus 13

Cenabis bene, mi Fabulle, apud me

paucis, si tibi di favent, diebus,

si tecum attuleris bonam atque magnam

cenam, non sine candida puella

et vino et sale et omnibus cachinnis. 5

haec si, inquam, attuleris, venuste noster,

cenabis bene; nam tui Catulli

plenus sacculus est aranearum.

sed contra accipies meros amores

seu quid suavius elegantiusve est: 10

nam unguentum dabo, quod meae puellae

donarunt Veneres Cupidinesque,

quod tu cum olfacies, deos rogabis,

totum ut te faciant, Fabulle, nasum.

What is this poem about?

• Catullus invites his friend to a lavish dinner paid for by his patrons

• Catullus asks his friend to dinner but has only love to offer in return

• Catullus invites himself to a dinner offered by Fabullus because Catullus is broke

• Catullus is hinting at wanting a dinner invitation and promises to bring all the girls

Catullus 13

Cenabis bene, mi Fabulle, apud me

paucis, si tibi di favent, diebus,

si tecum attuleris bonam atque magnam

cenam, non sine candida puella

et vino et sale et omnibus cachinnis. 5

haec si, inquam, attuleris, venuste noster,

cenabis bene; nam tui Catulli

plenus sacculus est aranearum.

sed contra accipies meros amores

seu quid suavius elegantiusve est: 10

nam unguentum dabo, quod meae puellae

donarunt Veneres Cupidinesque,

quod tu cum olfacies, deos rogabis,

totum ut te faciant, Fabulle, nasum.

What does Catullus ask Fabullus to bring?

• the best guests, the biggest dinner turkey for dinner, the wine, and all the fun

• the dinner, a pretty girl, the wine, the wit, and the humor

• the food, the wine, the music

Catullus 13

Cenabis bene, mi Fabulle, apud me

paucis, si tibi di favent, diebus,

si tecum attuleris bonam atque magnam

cenam, non sine candida puella

et vino et sale et omnibus cachinnis. 5

haec si, inquam, attuleris, venuste noster,

cenabis bene; nam tui Catulli

plenus sacculus est aranearum.

sed contra accipies meros amores

seu quid suavius elegantiusve est: 10

nam unguentum dabo, quod meae puellae

donarunt Veneres Cupidinesque,

quod tu cum olfacies, deos rogabis,

totum ut te faciant, Fabulle, nasum.

How do we know Catullus is broke?

• His purse/pocket is full of spiderwebs

• He says he spent all his money on the dinner

• He spent all his money on his girlfriend

Catullus 13

Cenabis bene, mi Fabulle, apud me

paucis, si tibi di favent, diebus,

si tecum attuleris bonam atque magnam

cenam, non sine candida puella

et vino et sale et omnibus cachinnis. 5

haec si, inquam, attuleris, venuste noster,

cenabis bene; nam tui Catulli

plenus sacculus est aranearum.

sed contra accipies meros amores

seu quid suavius elegantiusve est: 10

nam unguentum dabo, quod meae puellae

donarunt Veneres Cupidinesque,

quod tu cum olfacies, deos rogabis,

totum ut te faciant, Fabulle, nasum.

What does Catullus offer Fabullus?

• Venus and Cupid

• his girlfriend's perfume

• the most elegant company

Catullus 13

Cenabis bene, mi Fabulle, apud me

paucis, si tibi di favent, diebus,

si tecum attuleris bonam atque magnam

cenam, non sine candida puella

et vino et sale et omnibus cachinnis. 5

haec si, inquam, attuleris, venuste noster,

cenabis bene; nam tui Catulli

plenus sacculus est aranearum.

sed contra accipies meros amores

seu quid suavius elegantiusve est: 10

nam unguentum dabo, quod meae puellae

donarunt Veneres Cupidinesque,

quod tu cum olfacies, deos rogabis,

totum ut te faciant, Fabulle, nasum.

What will happen to Fabullus?

• He will ask the gods to make him totally a nose

• He will make himself into a nose

• He will have the best dinner ever and smell the best perfume ever

• He will get perfume from the gods which will get him a girlfriend

Catullus 40

Quaenam te mala mens, miselle Ravide,

agit praecipitem in meos iambos?

quis deus tibi non bene advocatus

vecordem parat excitare rixam?

an ut pervenias in ora vulgi? 5

quid vis? qualubet esse notus optas?

eris, quandoquidem meos amores

cum longa voluisti amare poena.

What is this poem about?

• Catullus is praising his friend Ravidus for his good poetry

• Catullus is writing a love poem to Ravidus, hoping he will fall in love with him

• Catullus is mad at Ravidus for trying to steal Catullus's lover

Catullus 40

Quaenam te mala mens, miselle Ravide,

agit praecipitem in meos iambos?

quis deus tibi non bene advocatus

vecordem parat excitare rixam?

an ut pervenias in ora vulgi? 5

quid vis? qualubet esse notus optas?

eris, quandoquidem meos amores

cum longa voluisti amare poena.

What does it mean when Catullus asks what drove Ravidus into Catullus's iambs?

• What compelled Ravidus to tick Catullus off (and thus make Catullus write mean poems about him)

• What made Ravidus copy Catullus's style so obviously?

• What is it about Ravidus that is making Catullus fall so madly in love that he writes iambic poetry about him?

Catullus 40

Quaenam te mala mens, miselle Ravide,

agit praecipitem in meos iambos?

quis deus tibi non bene advocatus

vecordem parat excitare rixam?

an ut pervenias in ora vulgi? 5

quid vis? qualubet esse notus optas?

eris, quandoquidem meos amores

cum longa voluisti amare poena.

What does Catullus suspect is Ravidus' motivation?

• Ravidus is competing with Catullus' poetry

• Ravidus will do whatever it takes to be well known

• The gods have compelled Ravidus to steal Catullus' girl