paper 2 companion texts

Catullus

Qualibus incensam iactastis mente puellam

Fluctibus in flavo 

You both who throw the girl, burning in the mind with what tides you toss the girl,

• fire imagery to describe lust

Paradoxical Simile: saxea ut effigies bacchantis

“like a stone statue of a Bacchante” pairs physical immobility (saxea effigies) with wild emotional turmoil (bacchantis), visualising paralyzing emotional shock.

Polyptoton & Anaphora: toto ex pectore... toto animo, tota... mente

“with her whole heart, whole soul, whole mind” (she hung to you Theseus) underscores her complete emotional vulnerability and total ruin.

haec vestis prīscīs hominum variāta figūrīs / hērōum mīra virtūtēs indicat arte

51-2

“This coverlet, embroidered with ancient figures of men, displays with wondrous art the virtues of heroes”

sīcine mē patriīs āvectam, perfide, ab ārīs, / perfide, dēsertō liquistī in lītore, Thēseu?

Is it thus, treacherous one — treacherous one — that you left me on a deserted shore, carried away from my father's altars, Theseus?

Aequam memento rebus in arduis servare mentem.

remember to keep an equal mind in hard times.

“Non tereti strophio lactentis vincta papillas”

Not bound as to her milk-white breasts with a smooth breast-band

“Ut pote fallaci quae tunc primum escita somno”

Since she at that time having first awakened from deceptive sleep

“Desertam in sola miseram se cernat harena.”

Discerns herself miserable having been deserted on the lonely sand

“Auferre trucidare rapere falsis nominibus imperium,”

To robbery, slaughter, plunder, they give the false name of empire.

omnibus hīs Thēsei dulcem praeoptārit amōrem,

“to all these things she preferred the sweet love of Theseus,”

Quo pinus ingens albuquerque populus/

Umbram hospitalem consociare amant/

Ramis?

“Why do the huge pine and white poplar tree love to unite their branches in hospitable shade?”

Omnes eodem cogimur, omnium

“We are all forced to the same place”