Catullus Poem 7 Notes Flashcards
Which poem does this one pick up?
Poem 5
What are topoi?
Traditional themes and formulas used in literature
What is the effect of the poetic topoi in this poem?
Avoids easy categorisation and varies text to make it original
Who does this poem nod to?
Literary predecessors
How is the question at the beginning answered?
The poet’s extravagant use of language encourages unwelcome talk on kissing but the answer to the question is in such a description to try and stop that
What person dialogue does Catullus engage?
Second
What is ‘basiatio’?
An abstract noun formed from concrete noun ‘basium’
Why did Catullus lengthen the form ‘basitiones’?
Expresses incessant, exaggerated kissing
Why does Catullus put ‘mihi’ and ‘tuae’ around ‘basitiones’?
Suggests intimacy in their relationship
Why might Catullus have added ‘superque’ on line 2?
Colloquial tone and adds to alliteration
What is a literary topos in this poem?
‘As many as sands on the shore’ and ‘as many as stars in the sky’
How does Catullus add originality to the topos?
Specifies sand of Callimachus’ home and details of silphium and tomb of Battus
Who was Battus?
Founder of Cyrene and ancestor of Callimachus
What is the impact of the extra topos effect on the audience?
Allows learning to occur and spread of knowledge and proves to look at literary effects of poem, not just superficial meaning of ‘sincere’ love
What did Cyrene have to do with silphium?
Exported it
Why did Rome import silphium?
Medicinal uses
How does silphium help medically?
Aid to digestion
Panacea to bites, boils, gout, dropsy, asthma, epilepsy, pleurisy and baldness
Why was there a temple in Libya?
The Egyptian god, Ammon, was associated with Zeus/ Juppiter so the temple was built as the centre of the god’s famous oracle
What is the effect of the topos of the stars?
Given a personal edge as the stars look down on the illicit loves of men and women (own affair is illicit)
What is he trying to say about stars and darkness?
Gives darkness and silence to secret affairs. The more stars, the more lovers
What does the stars do about Catullus’ affair?
Widens it into a common experience of mankind only to bring it back to him with ‘vesano… Catullo’
Having an accusative like ‘basia’ a similar derivation to the infinitive ‘basiare’ is unusual in Latin. Where is it common?
Greek
What is the effect of line 9 ?
Links to ‘basiationes’ on line 1
What does ‘satis et super’ link back to?
Line 2
