Catullus Poem 50 Annotations

Annotations from my lessons, for GCSE OCR Latin Verse Literature Option B 2025. Yes its missing one line - I wasn't there for the lesson and there's plenty anyway so just deal with it.

hesterno, Licini, die otiosi

• Use of grand word (hesterno) shows how yesterday was a great day, and gives more options for poetic exploration - as this form including ‘die’ enables the enclosing word order.

• Enclosing word order, shows how Licinius was central to his day - spent whole day with him - link to the idea of poetic experimentation

• Assonance of ‘o’ & ‘i’ links to Licinius and also creates a greater sense of friendliness emphatic position shows day was all about leisure

• Vocative used to show closeness and informal affection, creates a more vivid image

multum lusimus in meis tabellis

• Emphatic position at the start of the line emphasises amount of experimentation, along with the assonance of the ‘u’ sound

• Lots of repeated i, m, and s sounds create a flowing sentence and create a harmony that suggests the evening was friendly

• diminutive form of ‘tabula’ creates an informal tone, poems are unimportant, shows how they are relaxed

ut convenerat esse delicatos,

• ‘ut’ shows that the unplanned nature of the night, serendipitous atmosphere

• assonance of ‘e’ creates a playful sound

scribens versiculos uterque nostrum

• start of sentence has a ‘doing word’ in an emphatic position, these actions show the excitement and momentum of the evening

• sibilance shows the lively and energetic atmosphere

• diminutive (‘versiculos’) shows the unserious nature of the poems

• teamwork is emphasised at the end of the line, allowing us to imagine how they were writing the poems together

ludebat numero modo hoc modo illoc

• see note on doing words in prior flashcard - applies to this line as well

• polyptoton of ‘ludebat’ with ‘lusimus’ (line 2) gives the passage a playful tone

• assonance of long o sounds, creates a mock seriousness (long, dark sound) or possibly shows deep laughter

• alliteration of m/n - warning, dangerous sounds - links to the mock seriousness of the situation

• parallel phrasing at the end of the line, demonstrative pronouns (use of the deictic), creates a vivid image of movement, as if we are being pointed to actual tablets

reddens mutua per iocum atque vinum

• final doing word at start, creating sense of action

• literal word ‘reddens’ is used in a metaphorical sense to show passing of tablets

• ‘mutua’ shows equal contributions, showing they both are enjoying the day

• ‘per’ links all the ideas together to show they all contribute to enjoyment

• ellisions reflect mingling of poems, wine, words merging into each other

atque illinc abii tuo lepore

• energy and excitement from repeated vowels (glottal), reflected by the use of enjambment, energy spilling over the line

• ‘L’s show the link between Licinius and the charm

• ‘tuo’ shows how Catullus apppreciates Licinius’ contributions, which is reflected in the next line

incensus Licini facetiisque

• ‘incensus’ use of metaphor creates a vivid mental image, long syllables stressed to place emphasis on this

• more repeated vowels, link to point on prior line

• jokey tone created, lightweight and lighthearted experience

ut nec me miserum cibus iuvaret

• repeated use of ‘not’ in the last two lines creates a negative tone.

• nec here has both its literal meaning but also creates a mournful alliteration with all the m/n sounds

• ‘cibus’ - response is comfort eating, shows that situation is not that serious, and that the language is hyperbolic

nec somnus tegeret quiete ocellos

• metaphor, sleep portrayed like a sheet or blanket

• ‘ocellos’ - diminutive is used to generate pity or pathos

• again notice the placement of ‘nec’ in an emphatic position to create a negative tone in the last two lines

sed toto indomitus furore lecto

• ellision - words merge together, shows how he ‘merges’ into the bed

• metaphor of ‘indomitus’ - animalistic imagery (means untamed)

• enclosing word order also shows how the bed wraps around him, emphasises desire to sleep

• enjambment shows how the night stretches on

• repeated r’s create an animalistic sound - link to other imagery

versarer cupiens videre lucem

• shift in tone, more tired, energy lost

• repeated assonant ‘er’ sound reflects groans and weariness

• amorous desire, connotations of romance?

• ‘lucem’ literally means light, but has metaphorical meaning of the ‘light’ of being returned with his friends

ut tecum loquerer simulque ut essem

• emphatic position of ‘tecum’ at start of purpose clause and long syllables stress importance of being with Licinius

• elision shows how things happen at the same time

• ends with very emphatic phrase, pleonasm, second purpose clause emphasises the action of being with Licinius, not just about the poetry

at defessa labore membra postquam

• adversative conjunction at start of line reflects shift of tone, becomes calmer

• enclosing word order emphasises work at his core

• synecdoche - limbs used in place of himself

• ‘postquam’ delayed to emphasise the enclosing word order

• melancholic sound from m alliteraion

semimortua lectulo iacebant

• hyperbolic and melodramatic yet humour is created through cute tone, use of diminutive imagery through diminutive ‘lectulo’

• neologism at start creates sense of experimenting - reflects themes earlier in the poem

• disassociation (views himself in 3rd person - ‘iacebant’) shows self awareness about situation (?)

hoc, iucunde, tibi poema feci

• we learn the poem is composed solely for Licinius

• very platonic address contrasts with prior romantic imagery

• use of 1st person despite two people involved, creates a more intimate feel

nunc audax cave sis, precesque nostras

• beginning of line marks change in tone to warning

• promoted ‘audax’ places emphasis on risk/danger

• ‘precesque’ - means prayer, this is meant to be a poem to a friend, but feels like a prayer to a god

oramus, cave despuas, ocelle

• plural used - grander and more threatening

• diminutive ‘ocelle’ shows affection and informality - shift in tone, desperation/backing off?

• metaphor, ‘despuas’ (spit it out) makes this more vivid

ne poenas Nemesis reposcat a te

• alliterations build tension - sibilance, sense of hissing/warning, and m/n alliteration reflect sense of threat

• emphatic position of ‘a te’ at end of line - Licinius is the target of this warning

est vemens dea. laedere hanc caveto

• pair of short sentences - very emphatic

• letters omitted from ‘vehemens’ to create an even shorter sentence, emphatic - powerful and memorable warning

• ‘dea’ placed at end of sentence, also could have been emitted, stresses focus on the goddess

• laedere means to physically hurt/offend - suggests to Licinius that not listening to Catullus’ prayers will seriously hurt/offend the goddess, extreme exaggeration (Nemesis took revenge for murders)

• deictic pronoun, ‘pointing’ to her as though she is present, scary

• harsh ‘c’ sound reflects the warning

• polyptoton of ‘cave’ throughout section of poem makes prayer more sincere and creates sinister tone

• formal old fashioned form shows more serious tone, finished this ascending tricolon present in the final sentence