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
What is the effect of linking phrases back?
Closural device
What is the effect of switching to the third person with ‘Catullo’ and adding ‘vesano’?
Puts poet outside normal parameters of human experience
What does ‘vesano’ mean to Virgil? How does this relate to what Catullus says?
Denotes mad hunger. Love is a desire and a form of madness
What is the effect of ‘curiosi’?
Recognition of demand and current standards (of everyone?)
What does the word ‘fascinum’ normally mean?
A phallic-shaped thing (penis, dildo or a certain amulet worn around the neck to avert the evil eye)
What is the effect of using the word ‘fascinum’?
Bewitch or cast a spell of love upon
What is significant about the last word of the poem?
‘Lingua’ links to the theme about kisses and leaves the image with emphatic positioning
Is it common style to suggest an infinite number of something?
Yes
What are the different interpretations of ‘aestuosi’?
Hot with ladies or physically hot area
What else is significant about ‘basiare’?
Frames ‘basiationes’ in line 1
What is the effect of line 8?
Romantic feel
What could the nosy people be?
The strict old men in poem 5
Poem 5 ends with kisses and poem 7 starts with…
Kisses
Cyrene is the same as…
Callimachus
What about Lesbia allows Catullus to use elitist language?
She is clever enough to understand what the tomb of Battus is etc
Why does Catullus include many different places?
Showing off to Lesbia to try and impress her with details that mean something to her
Who is Callimachus to Catullus?
His poet hero
True/false: Catullus might be whining for effect
True
What does the subjunctive ‘sint’ contrast further down?
‘Est’
‘Tam’ picks up what?
‘Quam’ further down
What does night mean in poem 5? What does it mean in poem 7?
The end but it is an opportunity in poem 7
