Catullus 8

Question 1

What is special about the vocabulary?

Answer 1

It contains a lot of similar or repeated vocabulary to create effect, rhythm and balance.

Question 2

Structure?

Answer 2

Carefully structured- suggests he is in fact more in control of his emotions than the persona portrayed in the poem.

Question 3

How is Catullus’ general weakness portrayed?

Answer 3

He reprimands himself a lot.

Question 4

How is Catullus’ lack of conviction when criticising Lesbia portrayed?

Answer 4

His rhetorical questions actually make him feel worse rather than better.

Question 5

MiserLove-sick

Answer 5

Depressing- sets the tone for the rest of the poem.

Question 6

Fulsere quondam candidi tibi solesOnce bright suns shone for you

Answer 6

Bright sun shining reflects his ‘sunny’ mood at the time.

Question 7

‘quondam candidi’ & ‘candidi tibi’

Answer 7

Use assonance (similar vowel sounds) which reflects the happiness of the time.

Question 8

‘ventitibas’coming and going

Answer 8

frequentative verb in the imperfect tense.Suggests a regular action.

Question 9

‘puella ducebat’girl would lead

Answer 9

Catullus is not ashamed to be following her around- he’s just happy she wants him around.

Question 10

‘amata’, ‘amabitur’

Answer 10

Uses love in two different tenses- he loves her in the past and the future.

Question 11

Repetition of words containing ‘ll’ sounds

Answer 11

Creates rhythm within the poem.

Question 12

‘illa multa iocosa’those many pleasant things

Answer 12

Reference to sex

Question 13

‘nolo’ ‘volo’did not want to, wanted to

Answer 13

subtle difference between the phrasing shows the imbalance in their relationship.

Question 14

‘Fulsere quondam candidi tibi soles’Once bright suns shone for you’Fulsere vere candidi tibi soles.’Then truly bright suns shone for you.

Answer 14

These two lines frame his reminiscence- he is thinking back fondly.

Question 15

‘nunc’ ‘iam’now (past) now (present)

Answer 15

reinforces the change of timeframe from past to present.

Question 16

• ‘Nulla’- ‘Nolebat’- ‘Noli’

Answer 16

lines 5-7 end like this, adds to the tone of unhappiness.

Question 17

Repetition of ‘nec’ (not)

Answer 17

Adds to Catullus’s desperation/ determination.

Question 18

Contrast of ‘ducat’ (lead) and ‘fugit’

Answer 18

Following her is now presented as a bad thing- she is no longer leading him but fleeing him.

Question 19

‘perfer, obdura,’endure, become firm

Answer 19

Using these two words next to each other is called an asyndeton (i came, i saw, i conquered). Adds force to Catullus’s words.

Question 20

Asyndeton

Answer 20

The absence of a conjunction between parts of a sentence, as in I came, I saw, I conquered.

Question 21

‘obdura’- ‘obdurat’I endure, He endures

Answer 21

Shows how Catullus has moved on- he is defiant

Question 22

difference in ‘at tu’ (and you) between lines 14 and 19

Answer 22

L14- still confident that the girl ill be miserable without him.L19- confidence has weakened and the words are now directed at himself.

Question 23

Structure of the seven rhetorical questions all beginning with a different form of ‘qui’.

Answer 23

use ‘q’ words in first part of the line and ‘c’ words in the second to create symmetry.

Question 24

Impact of ‘basio’ and ‘labella’kiss, lip

Answer 24

Remembering his previous intimate relationship with Lesbia seems to weaken Catullus’s resolve

Question 25

Beginning and Ending of the poem.

Answer 25

Starts and finishes with a resent tense instruction to himself- symmetry, shows how throughout the course of the poem he has been convincing himself.