Catullus 96, 110

Catullus 96

Si quicquam mutis gratum acceptumque sepulcris

accidere a nostro, Calve, dolore potest,

quo desiderio veteres renovamus amores

atque olim missas flemus amicitias,

certe non tanto mors immatura dolori est 5

Quintiliae, quantum gaudet amore tuo.

What is this poem about?

• a grieving person wanting to communicate with a lost loved one

• Catullus' love for Calvus

• Catullus' love for Calvus' wife Quintilliae

Catullus 96

Si quicquam mutis gratum acceptumque sepulcris

accidere a nostro, Calve, dolore potest,

quo desiderio veteres renovamus amores

atque olim missas flemus amicitias,

certe non tanto mors immatura dolori est 5

Quintiliae, quantum gaudet amore tuo.

If something could be communicated to the dead, then what?

• they renew their old loves

• they ask for forgiveness

• they demand answers

Catullus 96

Si quicquam mutis gratum acceptumque sepulcris

accidere a nostro, Calve, dolore potest,

quo desiderio veteres renovamus amores

atque olim missas flemus amicitias,

certe non tanto mors immatura dolori est 5

Quintiliae, quantum gaudet amore tuo.

What does Catullus claim about Quintilla?

• that she had more joy in her love with Calvus than there is sadness in her being prematurely dead

• that it is sadder for a lover to lose someone as good as Quintilla than it is for onself to die

• that she died at a ripe old age but it is still very sad

Catullus 96

Si quicquam mutis gratum acceptumque sepulcris

accidere a nostro, Calve, dolore potest,

quo desiderio veteres renovamus amores

atque olim missas flemus amicitias,

certe non tanto mors immatura dolori est 5

Quintiliae, quantum gaudet amore tuo.

What does Catullus claim about Quintilla?

• that she had more joy in her love with Calvus than there is sadness in her being prematurely dead

• that it is sadder for a lover to lose someone as good as Quintilla than it is for onself to die

• that she died at a ripe old age but it is still very sad

Catullus 110

Aufilena, bonae semper laudantur amicae:

accipiunt pretium, quae facere instituunt.

tu, quod promisti, mihi quod mentita inimica es,

quod nec das et fers saepe, facis facinus.

aut facere ingenuae est, aut non promisse pudicae, 5

Aufillena, fuit: sed data corripere

fraudando officiis, plus quam meretricis avarae

quae sese toto corpore prostituit.

What is this poem about?

• Catullus is mad at Aufilena because he gave her presents and she wouldn't sleep with him

• Catullus is trying to coax Aufilena into falling in love with him even though she's married

• Catullus is asking Aufilena, a known prostitute, for help with women

Catullus 110

Aufilena, bonae semper laudantur amicae:

accipiunt pretium, quae facere instituunt.

tu, quod promisti, mihi quod mentita inimica es,

quod nec das et fers saepe, facis facinus.

aut facere ingenuae est, aut non promisse pudicae, 5

Aufillena, fuit: sed data corripere

fraudando officiis, plus quam meretricis avarae

quae sese toto corpore prostituit.

Why does Catullus say Aufilena is his enemy?

• Because she didn't do what she promised and she takes without giving

• Because she told her husband about him

• Because she lied about being married

Catullus 110

Aufilena, bonae semper laudantur amicae:

accipiunt pretium, quae facere instituunt.

tu, quod promisti, mihi quod mentita inimica es,

quod nec das et fers saepe, facis facinus.

aut facere ingenuae est, aut non promisse pudicae, 5

Aufillena, fuit: sed data corripere

fraudando officiis, plus quam meretricis avarae

quae sese toto corpore prostituit.

According to Catullus what do chaste girls do?

• To do what you promise or not to promise at all

• To be honest about being a prostitute

• To avoid getting married

Catullus 110

Aufilena, bonae semper laudantur amicae:

accipiunt pretium, quae facere instituunt.

tu, quod promisti, mihi quod mentita inimica es,

quod nec das et fers saepe, facis facinus.

aut facere ingenuae est, aut non promisse pudicae, 5

Aufillena, fuit: sed data corripere

fraudando officiis, plus quam meretricis avarae

quae sese toto corpore prostituit.

According to Catullus what do greedy prostitues do?

• Take gifts and prostitute their whole body

• Sleep with anyone who pays

• Trick husbands into leaving their wives