Catullus - 50 - Poetry and Friendship - LITERARY ANALYSIS

hesterno, Licini, die otiosi

- Yesterday, Licinius, at leisure

strong opening

temporal marker 'hesterno'

'Licini' - direct address

'otiosi' - reminds us how this group spends their leisure time

multum lusimus in meis tabellis,

- We amused ourselves a lot on my writing tablets,

polyptoton of the verb 'ludo' - stress on the idea of fun, relaxation

'multum' - quantifier, reminding Licinius of how good it was

inclusive first person plural verb

ut convenerat esse delicatos;

- As we had agreed to be frivolous;

short, sophisticated 'delicatos' - risqué

scribens versiculos uterque nostrum

- Each of us, writing short verses,

'versiculos' - mini verses, diminutive

'uterque' - just a pair, emphasising their unity and friendship

adds to the sense of sense of intimacy

ludebat numero modo hoc modo illoc,

- Was playing now with this metre and now with that one,

'ludebat' - polyptoton of verb ludo from earlier

'numero modo hoc modo' - pattern of assonance, togetherness

zeugma - playfulness - word appearing for two senses

reddens mutua per iocum atque vinum.

- Exchanging ideas through the joking and the wine.

'mutua' - double meaning - is this Catullus showing off, both as a poet and to Licinius?

atque illinc abii tuo lepore

- And I went away from there on fire

lexical field and idea of being engulfed in passion and love - Epic poetry 'lepore'

incensus, Licini, facetiisque

- With your charm, Licinius, and your wittiness

'incensus' - set on fire - metaphor - by his brilliance

word drawn from love poetry, playing with traditional vocab used when a poet wants to express his love/desire

ut nec me miserum cibus iuvaret

- So that food does not help me in my wretchedness,

'miserum' - word drawn from love poetry, playing with traditional vocab used when a poet wants to express his love/desire

he can't eat for misery - standard topoi of unrequited love

nec somnus tegeret quiete ocellos,

- Nor does sleep cover my eyes in calm,

'ocellos' - word drawn from love poetry, playing with traditional vocab used when a poet wants to express his love/desire

he can't sleep

sed toto indomitus furore lecto

- But wild with excitement on my whole bed

furore - word drawn from love poetry, playing with traditional vocab used when a poet wants to express his love/desire

adjective describing his feelings

physical sensation - does Catullus recognise that he's being a bit clichéd?

versarer, cupiens videre lucem,

- I toss and turn, longing to see the light,

'versarer' - emphatic position

'cupiens' - word drawn from love poetry, playing with traditional vocab used when a poet wants to express his love/desire - obviously relating to Cupid

Catullus' description of his tossing and turning on the bed, unable to sleep and thinking about Licinius, may be a deliberate reference to Achilles Iliad 23, when he is unable to sleep similarly because Patroclus is absent.

A subtextual way of letting Licinius know that he really likes him? More than platonic connection?

ut tecum loquerer simulque ut essem.

- So that I may speak with you and so that I may be with you.

'ut' - purpose clause, first concept

quite simple language here to express his simple witch

at defessa labore membra postquam

- But after my limbs, worn out with fatigue,

creating pathos - wants Licinius to feel bad.

semimortua lectulo iacebant,

- Were lying half dead on my bed,

specific body parts personified to express his whole misery - may be a bit of a stretch - synecdoche?

hoc, iucunde, tibi poema feci,

- I wrote this poem for you, dear friend,

'iucunde' - direct address, endearment

'tibi' polyptoton from 'tecum'

ex quo perspiceres meum dolorem.

- From which you observe my sorrow.

'Dolorem' - strong vocab, physical pain, almost torture

hyperbolic - or not?

again, Achilles reference?

nunc audax cave sis, precesque nostras,

- Now be careful not to be arrogant, and take care

'cave' - trying to make Licinius nervous of rejecting him - possibly humorous, may be with a slightly darker intent

'precesque' - religious language, lexical field of religion

oramus, cave despuas, ocelle,

- Not to reject my prayers, I beg, dear friend,

'ocelle' - term of endearment again - link to ocellos

ne poenas Nemesis reposcat a te.

- Lest Nemesis should demand punishment in turn from you.

Nemesis - goddess of vengeance, invoking the wrath of the gods

'reposcat' - prefix 're' reminds of Catullus' suffering

est vemens dea. laedere hanc caveto.

- She is a powerful goddess. Beware of harming her.

'vemens' - like vehementer - violent, powerful

ending with 2 strong, short sentences

'caveto' - archaic imperative, adds to mock solemn tone - or does it make it genuinely serious?

powerful, unusual vocab - onomatopoeic, plosive, consonance.

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