Catullus 35

Question 1

Summarise Catullus 35

Answer 1

Catullus talks to the paper he is writing on (papyrus) about how he wants his friend Caecillius to come visit. However, Caecilius can’t visit because his girlfriend is so in love with his writing that he won’t let him leave.

Question 2

How does Catullus describe Caecilius in line 1?

Poetae tenero meo sodali

Answer 2

The gentle poet, my mate

Question 3

Who is Catullus speaking to?

Answer 3

Papyrus

Question 4

What does Catullus request of Papyrus?

Answer 4

I would like you to tell him to come to Verona

Question 5

What will he leave behind in Verona?

Answer 5

Leaving behind Novum Commum’s walls and the shore of Larium

Question 6

Why does Catullus want his friend to visit him?

Answer 6

For I want him to receive some thoughts of his friend and mine.

(describing a mutual friend)

Question 7

What will Caecilius do if he is wise?

Answer 7

And so if he is wise, he will eat the road

Question 8

What stops Caecilius from eating the road?

Answer 8

Although a beautiful girl will call him back a thousand times

Question 9

How will Caecilius’ girl stop him from leaving?

Answer 9

And throwing both arms around his neck asks him to stay.

Question 10

How does Catullus describe the girl?

Answer 10

Who she now, if truth be told to me dotes on him with passionate love

Question 11

When did the girl become obsessed with Caecilius?

Answer 11

For when she read the beginning of Lady Dindymus

Question 12

What happened when the girl read Lady Dindymus?

Answer 12

From which sad little fires eat her inside bone marrow

Question 13

How does Catullus feel about the obsessed girl?

Answer 13

So I forgive you, girl more educated than the muse Sappho

Question 14

Why is the girl so educated?

Answer 14

For the beginning of the “Great Mother” by Caecilius is lovely.

Question 15

Meo Sodali

Answer 15

My mate

Colloquial “Sodali” to establish a friendly tone

Question 16

Veronam Veniat

Answer 16

Alliteration to emphasise the speed of travelling

Question 17

Amici Accipiat

Answer 17

Alliteration to emphasise their strong friendship

Question 18

Sui Meique

Answer 18

Juxtaposition between his and my, to describe mutual friend

Question 19

Viam Vorabit

Answer 19

Eat the road = idiomatic metaphor for speed of travelling

Question 20

Milies

Answer 20

The girl calling him back a thousand times is a hyperbole

Question 21

Revocet and Roget

Answer 21

Calls him back and asks him to stay = tautological

Question 22

Si mihi

Answer 22

First person insertion

Question 23

ignes interiorem edunt medullam

Answer 23

Metaphor for how much she loves the work that the fires eat the inside of her

Refers to Catullus’ symptoms of love

Question 24

Sapphica puella

Answer 24

Here Catullus’ favourite poet Sappho is described as a God

And then the girl is described as more educated than Sappho, very exaggerated hyperbole

Question 25

Magna Caecillio Incohata Mater

Answer 25

Here an image is created by word order, Cecilio is trapped between Magna Mater, so he is trapped by his work

Question 26

Who is the Great Mother?

Answer 26

Persian mother Goddess Cymbelle

a.k.a. Lady Dindymus

Question 27

Where does Catullus live?

Answer 27

Verona

Question 28

Where does Caecilius live?

Answer 28

Novum Comum