Catullus and Horace Flashcards

Flashcards based on the works of Catullus and Horace, covering key poems and concepts.

Cui dono lepidum novum libellum

To Cornelius Nepos; contrasts the length of the work with the length of fame.

Phaselus ille, quem videtis, hospites

Praises the boat (phaselus), mocking the epics of Odysseus and Jason because his voyage was speedy and without mishap.

Vivamus, mea Lesbia, atque amemus

Embodies the Epicurean ideal of 'live life to the fullest'; nature’s cycles continue, but human life is linear. Includes the notion of lover’s kisses being cursed by those who can count them.

Quaeris quot mihi basiationes

Catullus asks “How many kisses are enough,” with Alexandrian erudition, ending with the same curse notion as Poem 5.

Miser Catulle, desinas ineprire

Catullus’ plea to himself to stop playing the fool and admit to himself that Lesbia is a lost cause; appropriately written in limping iambics.

Varus me meus ad suos amores

Catullus tries to impress a 'scortillum' with a lie about his litter bearers, but is caught by her.

Furi et Aureli, comites Catulli

Poem in Sapphic meter with a grandiose address in Alexandrian fashion to 'friends' Furius and Aurelius, traveling to the edges of the earth, but with a sudden twist to the perverse in line 16 ('say to my girl not good words').

Marrucine Asini, manu sinistra

About the napkin thief, who steals a memento of friendship from Catullus (which, ironically, are expensive as well); his brother Pollio is better than he is, and we'd never know about Marrucinus were it not for this poem.

Cenabis bene, mi Fabulle, apud me

Fabullus is promised a good dinner at Catullus' house, but only if he brings the entire dinner; all Catullus has is a perfume from his girlfriend. Catullus' likely untrue claim that he has nothing is in the spirit of certain Greek lyric poets like Hipponax.

Ni te plus oculis meis amarem

The Saturnalia gift of a book of bad poetry from Calvus; Catullus vows good-natured revenge by running out the next morning and buying similar bad writings to send to him.

Annales Volusi, cacata carta

Catullus’ cleverly “pooh-pooh”s Volusius' Annales for their drawn-out style, ironically using epic ring compositional technique.

Egnatius quod candidos habet dentes

Catullus criticizes the Spaniard Egnatius (a rival for Lesbia's attention) for smiling at all times, especially since he brushes his teeth with urine.

Quaenam te mala mens, miselle Ravide

Ravidus earns eternal negative fame for loving Catullus’ girlfriend: this poem is a weapon!

Ameana puella defututa

Catullus is angry at Ameana for trying to charge him too much for one assignation; she obviously doesn't know that she's not worth the price, even though Caesar's associate Mamurra spends a lot of money on her.

Adeste hendecasyllabi quot estis

Catullus characterizes his verses as a street gang hired to embarrass a certain girl in public because she refuses to return Catullus' writing tablets; the only thing that will ultimately embarrass her is calling her a nice girl.

Salve, nec minimo puella naso

More criticism of Mamurra’s girlfriend Ameana – she lacks both for physical qualities and wit, unlike Lesbia.

Iam ver egelidos refert tepores

Catullus “happy feet” are restless to return home at the approach of spring and the end of his term in Bithynia; he and his friends will do some sight-seeing on the way.

Disertissime Romuli nepotum

An address to Cicero as patron that is hard to assess: is it honest, flattery, or bitterly ironic? Cicero is the “best of patrons” as much as Catullus is the “worst of poets” …

Ille mi par esse deo videtur

Directly based on a poem of Sappho, this describes Catullus’ feelings of love for Lesbia and jealousy over a well-stocked rival.

Risi nescio quem modo e corona

A short poem about the short Calvus, whom someone called a learned 'salt-shaker' (salaputium, found only here in a narrative context) after he had made a speech in court about Vatinius.

Num te leaena montibus Libystinis

Catullus describes Lesbia’s hard-heartedness with animal metaphors and a clever acrostic. This language is suggestive of 64.154-157 and may have inspired Vergil, Aeneid 4.365-367.

Etsi me assiduo confectum cura dolore

Catullus claims that he cannot send translations from Callimachus or good poetry since he is exhausted from grief at the death of his brother – in the form of a clever, artistic poem! The odd notion of Hortalus’ request likened to an apple given to a girl by her lover and hidden under her clothing.

Noli admirari, quare tibi femina nulla

Rufus can’t find love no matter what he does, thanks to the fierce goat living under the valley of his wings.

Nulli se dicit mulier mea nubere malle

Contrast between what a woman says and what she does; the words spoken to a desirous lover ought to be written on wind and water.

Dicebas quondam solum te nosse Catullum

As in poem #70, Lesbia has not borne out her previous words to Catullus – yet, as in poem #85, he wants her more, but hates her more for it as well.

Rufe mihi frustra ac nequiquam credite amice

Catullus is mad at Rufus for becoming Lesbia’s new boyfriend.

Chommoda dicebat, si quando commoda vellet

Catullus pokes fun at the social climbing 'H'arrius of not completely genteel ancestry, who affects a phony Greek accent (adding “h” to words) to sound sophisticated – but who even adds “h” where a real Greek wouldn’t.

Odi et amo, quare id faciam, fortasse requiris?

“I hate and I love”: Catullus can feel opposites at the same time. (Yes!)

Quintia formosa est multis. Mihi candida, longa

Lesbia's beauty compared to the attractive Quntia's – Lesbia’s real beauty is in her charm and wit (lepida), which complement her physical appearance.

Nulla potest mulier tantum se dicere amatam

Catullus’ laments that no woman has ever been loved as much as Lesbia was by him – why didn’t she reciprocate?

Nil nimium studeo, Caesar, velle tibi placere

A possible response to Caesar's invitation to dinner upon Catullus' apology for lampooning him.

Si quicquam mutis gratum acceptumve sepulcris

Catullus consoles Calvus on his wife's death – she’s not so unhappy about dying as she is comforted by Calvus’ love for her. It appears that Calvus himself wrote a similar poem.

Multas per gentes et multa per aequora vectus

Catullus’ famous elegy at his brother's grave: the poet's job is to give the dead a voice, and therefore a form of immortality.

Si quicquam cupido optantique optigit umquam

Catullus is overjoyed that Lesbia came back to him on her own, expressing this with repetitive words and sounds.

Iucundum, mea vita, mihi proponis amorem

Catullus is aware that Lesbia’s promises are not genuine, but hopes against hope that they will become so.

Ibam forte via sacra, sicut meus est mos (Horace, Satire 1.9)

Horace is too good natured in trying to escape politely from an unnamed pest, who wants an introduction to Maecenas and his literary circle. Some indications of what Horace & Maecenas like and dislike. Aristius Fuscus (“dark”) meets Horace, and with “dark humor” refuses to extricate him; finally Horace is lucky enough to have a deus ex machina ending.

Vides ut alta stet nive candidum (Horace, Ode 1.9)

A short ode that is the subject of a whole book. An Epicurean exhortation to enjoy life, despite the cold weather; pour the wine from a Sabine jar!

Tu ne quaesieris (scire nefas) quem mihi, quem tibi (Horace, Ode 1.11)

The “Carpe Diem” poem addressed to Leuconoe (“clear mind”); more Epicurean “live to the fullest”.

Cum tu, Lydia, Telephi (Horace, Ode 1.13)

The poet laments that Lydia prefers Telephus to him, even though Telephus is abusive.

Integer vitae scelerisque purus (Horace, Ode 1.22)

Horace’s escape from the wolf, addressed to Fuscus, who prevented him from escaping the pest in Satire 1.9 (and so he ironically names his girlfriend 'Chatterbox'); Sapphic meter, with echoes of Catullus 11 & 51.

Donec gratus eram tibi (Horace, Ode 3.9)

A 'can you top this?' dialogue between Lydia and an unnamed ex-lover, likely Telephus, in three balanced pairs of stanzas.