1. Catullus seems like the type of man who looks beyond the realm of physical appearance. While many men find Quintia “stunning,” Catullus isn’t as impressed. He believes that she is “attractive,” but that “the woman is scarcely venerious.” In other words, he does not find her lustful and she does not possess the traits that tickle his fancy. He seems to need more than just the beauty of a woman to impress him. For example, there is something about Lesbia that sweeps Catullus off his feet. Perhaps she possesses qualities besides beauty, such as personality, demeanor, mannerisms, intelligence, etc. There are many mathematical terms in which Catullus uses to compare a woman’s body. He states, “for Lesbia’s beauty is total: And by that sum all other women are diminished.” The words that he used to describe this woman, “total” and “sum”, signifies that she is the total package. Lesbia has every quality that Catullus desires in a woman because according to him, “by that sum all other women are diminished.” He uses these “mathematical comparisons” to form an image in the reader’s mind of the type of women that appeals to him and to explain his vision on the difference between “love and beauty.”
2. Poem # 85
This poem is strictly about the feelings of love and hate. Catallus is stating that there is no direct place where love and hate can be developed or found, and that in other words, these feelings just exist. He states that he feels that this “happens and I am tortured.” This could relate to mean that the feelings of love and hate are the two strongest emotions that can be felt that are on opposite sides. Perhaps Catallus feels tortured because he might feel alone to bear with such strong feelings. He might have no one in which to share how he feels with and this can be very difficult in dealing with the emotions of both love and hate. The themes discussed here are love and hate. The social commentary stated here can definitely be valuable in today’s world because these are the two most powerful feelings that people can have toward each other.
Poem # 106
This poem by Catallus is short, but meaningful. He states that “an auctioneer with a beautiful boy” seems to have the distinct goal of “selling himself.” In other words, there are people who often show off themselves through the great material items they possess, or through other such things to compensate for what they lack. For example, a father might show off how wonderful he is through the accomplishments of his children, or someone might compensate for their lack of looks or personality through possessing a flashy sports car. The themes that are discussed here have to do with vanity, narcissism, and ego. The social commentary of Catallus in this poem is valuable for modern times because these themes are some of the most commonly discussed and debated issues existing today.
Poem # 110
In this poem, Catullus is speaking to his girlfriend and scolding her for not being responsive and obedient. The case here seems to be that he gives her a lot, both materialistically and physically, and she does not give him much in return. He compares her to “a greedy whore who prostitutes herself with her whole body.” The themes that Catallus seems to focus on are that of sex, pressure, and sexism. His social commentary in this poem is valuable for modern times because these are issues that people focus on and are part of everyday relationships.
3. I believe that true romantic love is the willingness of each person, in a relationship, to put his or her partner’s needs in front of their own. It’s about sacrificing for one another until both parties are happy and at ease. It’s about being there for each other, supporting each other, and getting through difficult obstacles as a team. The person’s main attraction should not be his or her partner’s physical appearance, but rather his or her personality. One of Owen Wilson’s famous statements from his script from the movie, “Wedding Crashers” was “Love is the soul’s recognition of its counterpart in another.” I believe this is true because I believe in fate. I believe that g-d has set a plan for all of us and who we are destined to be with. Love is the most mysterious, irrational, and mind-boggling emotion to explain, but yet the one that most people thrive to obtain.
Catullus and Sappho
Catullus:
86
Many find Quintia stunning. I find her attractive:
Tall, “regal,” fair in complexion—these points are granted.
But stunning? No, I deny it: the woman is scarcely venerious,
There’s no spice at all in the length of her body!
Now Lesbia is stunning, for Lesbia’s beauty is total:
And by that sum all other women are diminished.
39
Egnatius, because he has bright white teeth,always smiles: If someone comes to the defendant'sbench, when the speaker arouses weeping,he grins; If there is weeping at the funeral pyre ofa dutiful son, when the bereaved mother laments her only son,he grins. Whatever it is, wherever he is,whatever he is doing, he grins: he has this disease,neither elegant, as I think, nor refined.Therefore I must warn you, my good Egnatius.If you were a city man or a Sabine or a Tiburnanor a thrifty Umbrian or a fat Etruscanor a swarthy or toothy Lanuvian ora Transpadane, to touch on my own people as well,or anyone you like who cleans his teeth with clean water,I still should not want you to smile on all occasions:for nothing is more silly than a silly smile.Now you are a Celtiberian: in the land of Celtiberia,whatever each man has urinated, with this he is accustomedin the morning to rub his teeth and gums until they are red,so that the more polished those teeth of yours are,the more urine they proclaim you to have drunk.
70
My woman says there is no one whom she’d rather marry
Than me, not even Jupiter, if he came courting.
That’s what she says—but what a woman says to a passionate lover
Ought to be scribbled on wind, on running water.
94
Mentula is an adulterer. Why certainly he is. How could he be anythingelse with a name such as his. It is as natural as for a pot to gather vegetables.
Excerpts from Sappho
‘Some say horsemen, some say warriors’
Some say horsemen, some say warriors,
Some say a fleet of ships is the loveliest
Vision in this dark world, but I say it’s
What you love.
It’s easy to make this clear to everyone,
Since Helen, she who outshone
All others in beauty, left
A fine husband,
And headed for Troy
Without a thought for
Her daughter, her dear parents…
Led astray….
And I recall Anaktoria, whose sweet step
Or that flicker of light on her face,
I’d rather see than Lydian chariots
Or the armed ranks of the hoplites.
‘Stand up and look at me, face to face’
Stand up and look at me, face to face
My friend,
Unloose the beauty of your eyes.....
‘Love shook my heart’
Love shook my heart,
Like the wind on the mountain
Troubling the oak-trees.
‘He’s equal with the Gods, that man’
He’s equal with the Gods, that man
Who sits across from you,
Face to face, close enough, to sip
Your voice’s sweetness,
And what excites my mind,
Your laughter, glittering. So,
When I see you, for a moment,
My voice goes,
My tongue freezes. Fire,
Delicate fire, in the flesh.
Blind, stunned, the sound
Of thunder, in my ears.
Shivering with sweat, cold
Tremors over the skin,
I turn the colour of dead grass,
And I’m an inch from dying.
86
Many find Quintia stunning. I find her attractive:
Tall, “regal,” fair in complexion—these points are granted.
But stunning? No, I deny it: the woman is scarcely venerious,
There’s no spice at all in the length of her body!
Now Lesbia is stunning, for Lesbia’s beauty is total:
And by that sum all other women are diminished.
39
Egnatius, because he has bright white teeth,always smiles: If someone comes to the defendant'sbench, when the speaker arouses weeping,he grins; If there is weeping at the funeral pyre ofa dutiful son, when the bereaved mother laments her only son,he grins. Whatever it is, wherever he is,whatever he is doing, he grins: he has this disease,neither elegant, as I think, nor refined.Therefore I must warn you, my good Egnatius.If you were a city man or a Sabine or a Tiburnanor a thrifty Umbrian or a fat Etruscanor a swarthy or toothy Lanuvian ora Transpadane, to touch on my own people as well,or anyone you like who cleans his teeth with clean water,I still should not want you to smile on all occasions:for nothing is more silly than a silly smile.Now you are a Celtiberian: in the land of Celtiberia,whatever each man has urinated, with this he is accustomedin the morning to rub his teeth and gums until they are red,so that the more polished those teeth of yours are,the more urine they proclaim you to have drunk.
70
My woman says there is no one whom she’d rather marry
Than me, not even Jupiter, if he came courting.
That’s what she says—but what a woman says to a passionate lover
Ought to be scribbled on wind, on running water.
94
Mentula is an adulterer. Why certainly he is. How could he be anythingelse with a name such as his. It is as natural as for a pot to gather vegetables.
Excerpts from Sappho
‘Some say horsemen, some say warriors’
Some say horsemen, some say warriors,
Some say a fleet of ships is the loveliest
Vision in this dark world, but I say it’s
What you love.
It’s easy to make this clear to everyone,
Since Helen, she who outshone
All others in beauty, left
A fine husband,
And headed for Troy
Without a thought for
Her daughter, her dear parents…
Led astray….
And I recall Anaktoria, whose sweet step
Or that flicker of light on her face,
I’d rather see than Lydian chariots
Or the armed ranks of the hoplites.
‘Stand up and look at me, face to face’
Stand up and look at me, face to face
My friend,
Unloose the beauty of your eyes.....
‘Love shook my heart’
Love shook my heart,
Like the wind on the mountain
Troubling the oak-trees.
‘He’s equal with the Gods, that man’
He’s equal with the Gods, that man
Who sits across from you,
Face to face, close enough, to sip
Your voice’s sweetness,
And what excites my mind,
Your laughter, glittering. So,
When I see you, for a moment,
My voice goes,
My tongue freezes. Fire,
Delicate fire, in the flesh.
Blind, stunned, the sound
Of thunder, in my ears.
Shivering with sweat, cold
Tremors over the skin,
I turn the colour of dead grass,
And I’m an inch from dying.
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3 comments:
I think what Catullus loves so much about Lesbia is her independence as a woman...and that she plays around with him..Is always like that..When men find these kind of women they become like little puppits...ha ha..more you reject them and treat them badly more they will come after us...But i think both women and men are a bit masochists...more we suffer and are rejected more we are challenged into going after him/her.... And this is why Catullus is crazy about Lesbia..Because she used him and them went to another man...Probably Quintia is this beautiful sweet lady who might have be in love with Catullus but he was not interested into her since she is too sweet...A b..tch like LEsbia is what he deserved ...
I believe that Catullus mostly tries to focus readers' attention on Lesbia's physiological traits, rather than going beyond that. He never went into detailed description of her character as a person, never mentioned her mental and psychological abilities, and never described her in any way other except her good looks. For him, the idea of "sacred beauty" mixed with not being granted her favor, creates some sort of an invisible bond with which Catullus is tied to this one-way admiration and non-mutual love.
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