Catullus 7

Question 1

Quaeris…

you ask…

Answer 1

talking in the second person

Question 2

mihi basiationes
tuae
of your kissifications (are enough) for me

Answer 2

‘kisses’ surrounded by ‘you’ and ‘me’ - intimacy

Question 3

basiationes

kissifications

Answer 3

unusual word- abstract noun

Syndikus says that the elongated word form emphasised the lengthiness of the kissing

Question 4

sint satis superque

are enough and more than enough

Answer 4

superque is a colloquial addition- adds alliteration and excitement? slipping out of high latin

Question 5

quam magnus numerus Libyssae harenae

as many as grains of Libyan sand

Answer 5

poetic topos (trad. themes in lit). 
made special by using extremely literary detail from Callimachus

Question 6

lasapiciferis

silphium-bearing

Answer 6

Silphium is an export of Cyrene mentioned by Strabo. Imported to Rome for medical use.

Question 7

oraclum

the oracle

Answer 7

Egyptian god Ammon (associated with Zeus/Jupiter) had a temple in the Libyan desert and was the site of an oracle.

Question 8

aut quam sidera multa

or as many as stars which see

Answer 8

more topos. Starts off as a generic platitude, but it develops into a metaphor for illicit affairs more generally, before coming back to his own special case in line ten (Catullo)

Question 9

tam te basia multa basiare

thats how many kises are enough and more than enough

Answer 9

Cognate accusative and infinitive. Common in Greek, not in latin. Links back to the kisses at the start. Closure device.

Question 10

vesano

love-mad

Answer 10

strong adjective. Trying to put poet’s feelings outside the realms of human experience.
In Virgil the word usually denotes mad hunger.
Love is both a desire and a form of madness.

Question 11

curiosi

nosy

Answer 11

concessive quality- no matter how inquisitive, no one will ever find out how many kisses.

Question 12

fascinare

bewitch

Answer 12

Usually means something phallic shaped- could wear of a phallic amulet to ward off the ‘evil eye’