Catullus Poem 107 Notes

Question 1

What has Lesbia done in this poem?

Answer 1

Returned to the poet’s embrace

Question 2

What is the tone of the poem?

Answer 2

Excitement

Question 3

How is the excitement shown?

Answer 3

Lots of repetition and 8 elisions and a bumpy metre in line 5 and 7

Question 4

What does line 1 contain?

Answer 4

A hiatus at the caesura

Question 5

What restored the metre in line 1?

Answer 5

‘Que’ after ‘cupido’

Question 6

How is ‘cupidoque optantique’ not tautologous?

Answer 6

‘Opto’ is weaker and acts just like a wish while ‘cupido’ suggests strong desire

Question 7

What is there assonance of in line 1?

Answer 7

‘O’

Question 8

How is ‘insperanti’ emphasised?

Answer 8

Enjambment and being at the beginning of the line

Question 9

What does ‘proprie’ mean here?

Answer 9

‘In the real sense of the word’

Question 10

What phrase is repeated?

Answer 10

Hoc est gratum

Question 11

What is the problem with line 3? How is it amended?

Answer 11

Depends on the punctuation after quoque. Make it ‘que est’

Question 12

‘Cupido’ in line 4 picks up what?

Answer 12

‘Cupido’ in line 1

Question 13

What else is repeated again?

Answer 13

‘Restituis’ and ‘insperanti’

Question 14

What is the rhythm like in line 5?

Answer 14

Uneven as the final monosyllable forces extra stress into the last syllable like line 7

Question 15

What is the effect of ‘te nobis’?

Answer 15

Closeness of words shows closeness of poet and his beloved

Question 16

What is the effect of ‘te nobis’ being separated over the line?

Answer 16

Shows the distance that existed up until now

Question 17

What is the context behind the whiter mark?

Answer 17

The Cretans used to drop a white stone into their quivers to mark a happy day and a black stone to mark an unhappy day

Question 18

What is the couplet framed by at the end?

Answer 18

‘Quis… quis’

Question 19

What is the closural technique?

Answer 19

Repetition of ‘optandas’

Question 20

What is the impact of ‘optandas’ being a subjunctive?

Answer 20

Gerundive of obligation. Obligation to want this life

Question 21

Where else is there enjambment?

Answer 21

‘Nobis’ on line 6

Question 22

‘Nobisque’ is…

Answer 22

Royal ‘we’

Question 23

In line 1, there is repetition of which sound?

Answer 23

‘Opt’