Now we can return to my random weekly posts. As I received a book of the Roman poet Catullus' poems when leaving school, I thought it would be worth while looking at one of them (in translation of course!).
Catullus' moods vary greatly, from lovelorn to erotic. I thought the latter might be fun to attempt for once!
So, here we have:
Poem 69
Wonder not, Rufus, why none of the opposite sex
wishes to place her dainty thighs beneath you,
not even if you undermine her virtue with gifts of choice
silk or the enticement of a pellucid gem.
You are being hurt by an ugly rumour which asserts
that beneath your armpits dwells a ferocious goat.
This they fear, and no wonder; for it's a right rank
beast that no pretty girl will go to bed with.
So either get rid of this painful affront to the nostrils
or cease to wonder why the ladies flee.
This is a invective poem, written to a man who once was Catullus' friend, until perhaps he slept with Catullus' lover. He wrote many poems to or about people he knows, attacking their personalities and habits in order to make the reader laugh, as they perhaps recognise the common traits in others they know.
Here the problem is that Rufus supposedly has personal odour issues. The argument that Rufus has stolen Catullus' lover, Clodia, is supported by this poem, as the effect of his smell is that he fails to charm the ladies, an insult which would have been pertinent in this case.
Thus, Catullus opposes the 'dainty' women, evoking an image of purity and cleanliness, including in their appearance and smell, with his 'rank' manner. Even labelling the rumour as 'ugly' implies Rufus himself suits it.
The choice of the goat for the smelly animal is an interesting one, because goats are often associated with sexual excess, as donkeys and apes are. So Catullus makes the matter even worse for Rufus, as not only is he unable to obtain the women for his pleasures, but he is in a state of perpetual unfulfilled desire.
While this poem may seem trivial, others about Catullus bemoan their lost friendship in a much more sincere manner, and his love poems to Lesbia or even his lamentations of his brothers' death portray a much more forlorn side to the poet. Well worth a read.
Catullus' moods vary greatly, from lovelorn to erotic. I thought the latter might be fun to attempt for once!
So, here we have:
Poem 69
Wonder not, Rufus, why none of the opposite sex
wishes to place her dainty thighs beneath you,
not even if you undermine her virtue with gifts of choice
silk or the enticement of a pellucid gem.
You are being hurt by an ugly rumour which asserts
that beneath your armpits dwells a ferocious goat.
This they fear, and no wonder; for it's a right rank
beast that no pretty girl will go to bed with.
So either get rid of this painful affront to the nostrils
or cease to wonder why the ladies flee.
This is a invective poem, written to a man who once was Catullus' friend, until perhaps he slept with Catullus' lover. He wrote many poems to or about people he knows, attacking their personalities and habits in order to make the reader laugh, as they perhaps recognise the common traits in others they know.
Here the problem is that Rufus supposedly has personal odour issues. The argument that Rufus has stolen Catullus' lover, Clodia, is supported by this poem, as the effect of his smell is that he fails to charm the ladies, an insult which would have been pertinent in this case.
Thus, Catullus opposes the 'dainty' women, evoking an image of purity and cleanliness, including in their appearance and smell, with his 'rank' manner. Even labelling the rumour as 'ugly' implies Rufus himself suits it.
The choice of the goat for the smelly animal is an interesting one, because goats are often associated with sexual excess, as donkeys and apes are. So Catullus makes the matter even worse for Rufus, as not only is he unable to obtain the women for his pleasures, but he is in a state of perpetual unfulfilled desire.
While this poem may seem trivial, others about Catullus bemoan their lost friendship in a much more sincere manner, and his love poems to Lesbia or even his lamentations of his brothers' death portray a much more forlorn side to the poet. Well worth a read.
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