No More Learning

To each poem is prefixed a brief state-
ment of the occasion of it, or an analysis of
the scheme of thought it contains, which
will be sufficient in general to guide the stu-
dent to the true interpretation; and as few
students probably will read Catullus who
have not made some attainments in classical
antiquities, Sic, many explanations have
been omitted, which would be necessary for
younger pupils. In selecting the passages to
be illustrated, as well as the material and
manner of illustration, the editor has been
continually guided by the experience of in-
telligent pupils with whom he has read this
author in his own school.
Boston, March, 1836.
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? ^
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? THE
METRES OF CATULLUS,
ADAPTED AND ALTERED FKOM VULPIUS' DIATRIBE
DE METRIS CATULLI.
The different species of verse employed by Ca-
tullus, are thirteen.
I. The hexameter, consisting of six feet, of which
the first four are either spondees or dactyles, the
fifth a dactyle and the sixth a spondee. In Ca-
tullus the fifth is not unfrequently a spondee. The
following scheme presents the construction.
This is used alone, in Carm. 40 and 42.
II. The Pentameter, consisting of five feet, of
which the first two are dactyles or spondees, the
third a spondee, the last two anapaests. It is
sometimes divided into hemistichia, or half verses,
the first half consisting of two feet either dactyles
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? Vlll
or spondees and a long syllable, the last of two
dactyles and a long or short syllable. We give a
scheme of both varieties.
II.
The Pentameter is employed in alternate verses
with the hexameters, in Carmen 43, and all the
other poems to the end. Some of the pentameters
of Catullus are quite harsh. The caesura is often
neglected.
III. The Phalaecian commonly called the Pha-
laecian hendecasyllable, consisting of five feet, a
spondee, dactyle and three trochees. In the first
foot a trochee or an iambus is sometimes admitted,
and in the second, but rarely, a spondee.
Catullus has used this verse more frequently
than any other in Carm. 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,10,
11,17,18, 20, 21,25, 26, 27, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34. A
species called pseudo Phalaecian, occurs with the
pure Phalaecian in Carm. 37. It differs from the
pure hi that the first foot may be a tribrachys, and
the second a trochee, and often a spondee.
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? IV. The Iambic Trimeter. It has six feet, prop-
erly each an Iambus. It admits however in the
first, third, and fifth places a spondee, or its solu-
tions the dactyle and anapaest. These varieties
are not all used by Catullus. Carmen 4, 15, are
pure Iambics. Carmen 36, is mixed with spondees.
This measure is used in these three only.
V. Scazon, or Choliambus (/(oXiafiSog i. e. lame
iambus,) which coincides with the Iambic Trime-
ter, except that the fifth foot is always an iambus,
and the sixth a spondee, or seldom a trochee.
This measure is found in Carm. 16, 23, 28, 29.
VI. The Iambic Tetrameter catalcctic, consist-
ing of seven feet, which may be varied as in the
Iambic Trimeter, and an additional syllable. Car-
men 19 is in this measure. (The third line has
an amphibrachys in the second place. )
VII. The Sapphic has five feet, a trochee, spon-
dee, dactyle, trochee, and trochee or spondee.
The second foot is sometimes a trochee.
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? VIII. The Adonic, properly a dactylic dimeter
catalectic which is formed of a dactyle and a spon-
dee.
This is never used by itself, but in combination
with the Sapphic forms what is called the Sapphic
stanza. We find it in Carmen 35.
IX. The choriambic pentameter,* which con-
sists of a spondee, three choriambi, and a pyrrich
or iambus.
Carmen 22, is in this measure.
X. The Glyconic or choriambi6 trimeter, which
consists of three feet, a spondee, choriambus, and
iambus. The first foot is often a trochee, and
sometimes an iambus.
It is used with other measures in Carm. 24,
and 39.
XI. The Pherecratian, which consists of three
feet, a spondee, dactyle and spondee. In Catullus
* So called by Corey, and by Scheller, Alcaicus.
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? XI
the first foot is often a trochee, and sometimes an
iambus, and the second in one verse a spondee.
It may be divided as a choriambic monometer
hypercatalectic, with a basis usually a spondee.
This is combined with the Glyconic in Carm.
24, 39.
XII. The Priapean. It has six feet, a trochee,
dactyle, amphimacer, trochee, dactyle, trochee.
The first foot is sometimes a spondee, the third a
dactyle, and the fourth a spondee.
Used in Carm. 12,13,14.
XIII. The Galliambic, a loose kind of measure,
which is used by no Latin poet except Catullus,
and by him only in Carmen 41. It derives its
name from the Galli priests of Cybele. It con-
sists of six feet, of which the first is usually an
anapaest, sometimes a spondee or tribrachys, the
second an iambus, rarely an anapaest, tribrachys,
or dactyle, the third an iambus or spondee, the
fourth a dactyle or spondee, the fifth a dactyle or
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? Xll
amphimacer or spondee, the sixth an anapaest, or
an iambus preceded by an amphimacer.
Carey divides it into two iambic dimeters cata-
lectic, the first beginning with a spondee or an
anapaest, and ending with a long syllable, the
second wanting the last syllable; and gives this
scheme.
super al I ta vec | tils a | tys 11 celen I rate ma | ria
Catullus makes very frequent use of elisions,
ecthlipses and other figures of scanning.
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? C. VALERII CATULLI
VERONENSIS
CARMINA.
CARMEN I.
Ad Cornelium Nepotem.
Quoi dono lepidum novum libellum,
Arida modo pumice expolitum?
Corneli, tibi: namque tu solebas
Meas esse aliquid putare nugas,
Jam tum, cum ausus es, unus Italorum, 5
Omne aevum tribus explicare chartis,
Doctis, Jupiter! et laboriosis.
Quare habe tibi, quidquid hoc libelli est,
Qualecumque; quod, o patrona Virgo,
Plus uno maneat perenne sceclo. 10
1
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? CATULLUS. HI.
CARMEN II.
Ad Passer em Lesbia.
Passer, deliciae meae puellje,
Quicum ludere, quem in sinu tenere,
Quoi primum digitum dare appetenti,
Et acres solet incltare morsus;
Cum desiderio meo nitenti 5
Carum nescio-quid lubet jocari,
Et solatiolum sui doloris
Credo, ut tum gravis acquiescat ardor.
Tecum ludere, sicut ipsa, posse,
Et tristes animi levare curas, 10
Tam gratum mihi, quam ferunt puellae
Pernici aureolum fuisse malum,
Quod zonam solui't diu ligatam.
CARMEN III.
Lucius in Morte Passeris.
Lugete, o Veneres, Cupidinesque,
Et quantum est hominum venustiorum!
Passer mortuus est mea e puellae,
Passer, deliciae meae puellae,
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? CATULLUS. IV. 7
Quem plus illa oculis suis amabat: 6
Nam mellitus erat, suamque norat
Ipsam tam bene, quam puella matrem:
Nec sese a gremio illius movebat;
Sed circumsiliens modo huc, modo illuc,
Ad solam dominam usque pipilabat. in
Qui nunc it, per iter tenebricosum,
Illuc, unde negant redire quemquam.
At vobis male sit, malae tenebra
e
Orci, quae omnia bella devoratis!
Tam bellum mihi passerem abstulistis! 15
O factum male! O miselle passer!
Tua nunc opera mea3 puellae
Flendo turgiduli rubent ocelli.
CARMEN IV.
Dedicatio Phaseli.
Phaselus ille, quem videtis, hospites,
Ait fuisse navium celerrimus, ?
Neque ullius natantis impetum trabis
Nequisse praeterire, sive palmulis
Opus foret volare, sive linteo.
Et hoc negat minacis Adriatici
Negare litus, insulasve Cycladas,
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? CATULLUS. V.
Rhodumve nobilem, horridamve Thraciara,
Propontida, trucemve Ponticum sinum;
Ubi iste, post phaselus, antea fuit 10
Comata silva: nam, Cytorio in jugo,
Loquente saepe sibilum edidit coma.
Amastri Pontica, et Cytore buxifer,
Tibi haec fuisse et esse cognitissima
Ait phaselus : ultima ex origine 15
Tuo stetisse dicit in cacumine,
Tuo imbuisse palmulas in aequore,
Et inde tot per impotentia freta
Ilcrum tulisse; laeva, sive dextera
Vocaret aura, sive utrumque Jupiter 20
Simul secundus incidisset in pedem;
Neque ulla vota litoralibus Diis
Sibi esse facta, cum veniret a mare
Novissimo hunc ad usque limpidum lacum.
Sed haec prius fuere : nunc recondita 25
Senet quiete, seque dedicat tibi,
Gemelle Castor, et gemelle Castoris.
CARMEN V.
Ad Lesbiam.
Vivamus, mea Lesbia, atque amemus;
Ruraoresque senum severiorum
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? CATULLUS. VI. 9
Omnes unius aestimemus assis.
Soles occidere et redire possunt:
Nobis, cum semel occidit brevis lux, 5
Nox est perpetua una dormienda.
Da mi basia mille, deinde centum:
Dein mille altera, dein secunda centum,
Dein usque altera mille, deinde centum:
Dein, cum millia multa fecerimus, 10
Conturbabimus illa, ne sciamus,
Aut ne quis malus invidere possit,
Cum tantum sciat esse basiorum.
CARMEN VI.
Ad Lesbiam.
Quaeris, quot mihi basiationes
Turn, Lesbia, sint satis superque?
Quam magnus numerus Libyssae arenas
Laserpiciferis jacet Cyrenis,
Oraclum Jovis inter aestuosi 5
Et Batti veteris sacrum sepulcrum;
Aut quam sidera multa, cum tacet nox,
Furtivos hominum vident amores;
Tam te basia multa basiare,
Vesano satis et super Catullo est, 10
1>>
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? 10 CATULLUS. VIII.
Quae nec pernumerare curiosi
Possint, nec mala fascinare lingua.
CARMEN VII.
Ad Verannium.
Veranni, omnibus e meis amicis
Antistans mihi millibus trecentis,
Venistine domum ad tuos Penates,
Fratresque unanimos, anumque matrem?
Venisti. O mihi nuhtii beati! 5
Visam te incolumem; audiamque Iberum
Narrantem loca, facta, nationes,
Ut mos est tuus; applicansque collum,
Jucundum os oculosque suaviabor.
O, quantum est hominum beatiorum! 10
Quid me laetius est, beatiusve?
CARMEN VIII.
De Varri Scorto.
Varrus me meus ad suos araores
Visum duxerat e foro otiosum;
Scortillum (ut mihi tum repente visum est)
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? CATULLUS. VIII. 11
Non sane illepidum, nec invenustura.
Huc ut venimus, incidere nobis 5
Sermones varii; in quibus, quid esset
Jam Bithynia, quomodo se haberet,
Et quonam mihi profuisset aere?
Respondi (id, quod erat) nihil neque ipsis
Nec praetoribus esse, nec cohorti, 10
Cur quisquam caput unctius referret;
Praesertim quibus esset irrumator
Praetor, nec faceret pili cohortem.
At certe tamen, inquiunt, quod illic
Natum dicitur esse, comparasti 15
Ad lecticam homines. Ego, ut puellas
Unum me facerem beatiorem,
Non, inquam, mihi tam fuit maligne,
Ut, provincia quod mala incidisset,
Non possem octo homines parare rectos. 20
At mi nullus erat neque hic neque illic,
Fractum qui veteris pedem grabati
In collo sibi collocare posset.
Hic illa, ut decuit cinaediorem,
Quaeso, inquit, mihi, mi Catulle, paulum 25
Istos commoda; nam volo ad Serapin
Deferri. Mane, inquii puellae:
Istud, quod modo dixeram me habere,
Fugit me ratio: meus sodalis
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? 12 . CATULLUS. IX.
Cinna est Cai'us: is sibi paravit. 30
Verum, litrum illius an mei, quid ad me?
Utor tam bene, quain mihi pararim.
Sed tu insulsa male et molesta vivis,
Per quam non licet esse negligentem.
CARMEN IX. .
Ad Asinium.
Marrucine Asini, manu sinistra
Non belte uteris in joco atque vino:
Tollis lintea negligentiorum.
Hoc salsum esse putas 1 Fugit te, inepte;
Quamvis sordida res et invenusta est. 5
Non credis mihi 1 Crede Pollioni
Fratri, qui tua furta vel talento
Mutari velit: est enim leporum
Disertus puer, ac facetiarum.
Quare aut hendecasyllabos trecentos 10
Exspecta, aut mihi linteum remitte;
Quod me non movet aestimatione,
Verum est mnemosynon mei sodalis:
Nam sudaria Setaba ex Iberis
Miserunt mihi muneri Fabullus 15
Et Verannius. Haec amem necesse est,
Ut Veranniolum meum et Fabullum.
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? CATULLUS. XI. 13
CARMEN X.
Ad Fabullum.
Ccenabis bene, mi Fabulle, apud me
Paucis, si tibi Di favent, diebus,
Si tecum attuleris bonam atque magnam
Ccenam, non sine candida puella,
Et vino et sale, et omnibus cachinnis. 5
Haec si, inquam, attuleris, venuste noster,
Crenabis bene; nam tui Catulli
Plenus sacculus est aranearum.
Sed contra accipies meros amores,
Seu quid suavius elegantiusve est; '10
Nam unguentum dabo, quod meae puella?
Donarunt Veneres Cupidinesque;
Quod tu cum olfacies, Deos rogabis,
Totum ut te faciant, Fabulle, nasum.
CARMEN XI.
Ad Calvum Licinium.
Ni te plus oculis meis amarem,
Jucundissime Calve, munere isto
Odissem te odio Vatiniano.
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? 14 CATULLUS. XII.
Nam quid feci ego, quidve sum locutus,
Cur me tot male perderes poetis? 5
Isti Di mala multa dent clienti,
Qui tantum tibi misit impiorum.
Quod si (ut suspicor) hoc novum ac repertum
Munus dat tibi Sulla literator,
Non est mi male, sed bene ac beate, 10
Quod non dispereunt tui labores.
Di magni! horribilem et sacrum libellum!
Quem tu scilicet ad tuum Catullum
Misti, continuo ut die periret,
Saturnalibus, optimo dierum. 15
Non, non hoc tibi, salse, sic abibit:
Nam, si luxerit, ad librariorum
Curram scrinia; Caisios, Aquinios,
Suffenum, omnia colligam venena,
Ac te his suppliciis remunerabor. 20
Vos hinc interea valete, abite
Illuc, unde malum pedem tulistis,
Saecli incommoda, pessimi poeta e!
CARMEN XII.
Ad Coloniam.
O Colonia, quE cupis ponte ludere longo,
Et salire paratum habes; sed vereris inepta
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? CATULLUS. XII. 15
Crura ponticuli asculis stantis, irredivivus
Ne supinus eat, cavaque in palude recumbat;
Sic tibi bonus ex tua pons libidine fiat, 5
In quo vel Salisubsulis sacra suscipiantur:
Munus hoc mihi maximi da, Colonia, risus.
Quemdam municipem meum de tuo volo ponte
Ire praecipitem in lutum, per caputque pedesque;
Verum totius ut lacus, putidaeque paludis, 10
Lividissima, maximeque est profunda vorago.
Insulsissimus est homo; nec sapit pueri instar
Bimuli, tremula patris dormientis in ulna.
Ciuoi cum sit viridissimo nupta florc puella,
Et puella tenellulo delicatior haedo, 15
Asservanda nigerrimis diligentius uvis;
Ludere hanc sinit, ut lubet, nec pili facit uni;
Nec se sublevat ex sua parte: sed, velut alnus
In fossa Liguri jacet suppernata securi,
Tantumdem omnia sentiens, quam si nulla sit
usquam; 20
Talis iste meus stupor nil videt, nihil audit.
Ipse qui sit, utrum sit, an non sit, id quoque nescit.
Nunc eum volo de tuo ponte mittere pronum,
Si pote stolidum repente excitare veternum,
Et eupinum animum in gravi derelinquere
cceno, 25
Ferream ut soleam tenaci in voragine mula.
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? 16 CATULLUS. XIV.
CARMEN XIII.
Ad Hortorum Deum.
Hunc lucum tibi dedico, consecroque, Priape,
Qua domus tua Lampsaci est, quaque silva,
Priape.
Nam te praecipue in suis urbibus colit ora
Hellespontia, ceteris ostreosior oris.
CARMEN XIV.
Hortorum Deus.
Hunc ego, juvenes, locum, villulamque palustrem,
Tectam vimine junceo, caricisque maniplis,
Quercus arida, rustica conformata securi,
Nutrivi, magis et magis ut beata quotannis.
Hujus nam domini colunt me, Deumque salu-
tant, 5
Pauperis tuguri pater, filiusque * * *
Alter assidua colens diligentia, ut herba
Dumosa asperaque a meo sit remota sacello;
Alter parva ferens manu semper munera larga.
Florido mihi ponitur picta vere corolla 10
Primitu', et tenera virens spica mollis arista:
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? CATULLUS. XV. 17
Luteae violae mihi, luteumque papaver,
Pallentesque cucurbitac, et suave olentia mala;
Uva pampinea rubens educata sub umbra:
Sanguine hanc etiam mihi (sed tacebitis) aram 15
Barbatus linit hirculus, cornipesque capella;
Pro quis omnia honoribus haec necesse Priapo
Praestare, et domini hortulum, vineamque tueri.
Quare hinc, o pueri, malas abstinete rapinas.
Vicinus prope dives est, negligensque Priapus. 20
Inde sumite: semita haec deinde vos feret ipsa.
CARMEN XV.
Hortorum Deus.
Ego haec, ego arte fabricata rustica,
Ego arida, o viator, ecce populus
Agellulum hunc, sinistra, tute quem vides,
Herique villulam, hortulumque pauperis
Tuor, malasque furis arceo manus. 5
Mihi corolla picta vere ponitur,
Mihi rubens arista sole fervido,
Mihi virente dulcis uva pampino,
Mihique glauca duro oliva frigore. >>
Meis capella delicata pascuis 10
In urbem adulta lacte portat ubera;
2
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? 18 CATULLUS. XVI.
Meisque pinguis agnus ex ovilibus
Gravem domum remittit aere dexteram;
Teneraque, matre mugiente, vaccula
Deum profundit ante templa sanguinem. 15
Proin', viator, hunc Deum vereberis,
Manumque sorsum habebis.
CARMEN XVI.
Ad Varrum.
Suffenus iste, Varre, quem probe nosti,
Homo est venustus, et dicax, et urbanus;
Idemque longe plurimos facit versus.
Puto esse ego illi millia aut decem aut plura
Perscripta; nec sic, ut fit, in palimpsesto 5
Relata: charta e regiae, novi libri,
Novi umbilici, lora rubra, membrana
Directa plumbo, et pumice omnia aequata.
Haec cum legas, tum bellus ille et urbanus
Suffenus, unus caprimulgus aut fossor io
Rursus videtur: tantum abhorret, ac mutat.
Hoc quid putemus esse? qui modo scurra,
Aut siquid hac re tritius, videbatur,
Idem inficeto est inficetior rure,
Simul poemata attigit: neque idem unquam 15
iEque est beatus, ac poema cum scribit:
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? CATULLUS. XVII. 19
Tam gaudet in se, tamque se ipse miratur.