Catullus Poem 5 Notes Flashcards
What is the tone of this poem?
Deceptive sophistication
What does the first line suggest?
Living is the equivalent to loving
Which word do the two verbs in line 1 frame?
Lesbia
Which themes are displayed here?
Life and death
Love and contempt (over strict old men)
What types of verbs are used in the second half of the poem?
Imperatives
What do the repeated numbers suggest?
A mathematical sum is being aimed at (builds up attitude of exactitude) only to find a confusion of figures
What are the polarities created?
Life vs death
Light vs dark
Young vs old
Counting vs muddling
What is the effect of the polarities?
Expression of love set against dark background of threats
How is the love shown?
Frequent use of first person pronouns not endorsed elsewhere
What is line one framed by?
Two iussive subjunctives
What is the tone in lines 2-3?
Rebellious against older generation
What techniques are in lines 2-3?
Juxtaposition of ‘omnes unius’
Hissing sibilants
What is an as?
The smallest Roman coin weighing a pound but was equivalent to a penny in English
What does the use of the sun pick up?
‘Vivamus’ the sun dies and returns everyday but we cannot. Motif of life
What is the impact of linking the sun to ‘vivamus’?
Makes it into an argument to make the most of time available
How is the contrast of light and night shown?
Line break. Words similar in appearance but on different lines like dead and living
What is at the end of line 5 and on line 6?
A series of monosyllables and line six starts with monosyllables and then broadens into long phrase evocative of eternity of death
Where is there elision on lines5-6?
‘Perpetua una’
Why does Catullus list the number of kisses?
To show verbally the long sequence of kisses. Leads reader to thoughtful calculation only to prove it false in line 11
What is there repetition of in lines 7-9?
‘Dein(de)’
What are possible reasons why Catullus does not specify importance of knowing total kisses?
Not wanting to ‘count their chickens’ according to Quinn or need to hide from older generation how much has gone on
What does ‘invidere’ primarily mean?
Cast an evil eye upon
What does the poem end with? Why?
The striking word ‘basiorum’. Leaves reader with image of physical affection as net result of argument and then calculation
What type of adjective is used line 2?
Comparative - links to line 2 poem 3
Why might he be talking a lot about the loving process?
Loving keeps him living
What could the muddling represent?
Messing up the relationship
What is the ‘gossip’?
The fact Lesbia is already married and is having an affair
What is the purpose of making ‘Lesbia’ the centre of the line?
To show she is the centre of his heart
Where is there juxtaposition?
‘Lux’ and ‘nox’ and ‘perpetua’ and ‘brevis’. Light and dark and short and eternal
What is the effect of repetitive ‘a’ sounds on line 6?
The idea of ongoing
What is the effect of ‘d’ sounds?
Creates pace and represents him frantically kissing her and sound of him kissing her.
What does ‘ne quis’ mean?
No person
What was the context behind ‘evil eye’?
If you knew the exact numbers about individuals, you could curse them with that number. Sacred to just Catullus
