Sulpicia 3.14 Notes Flashcards
What is another name for a birthday poem?
Genethliakon
What is the normal tradition surrounding girlfriends’ birthdays? What has she done?
Tradition to celebrate girlfriend’s birthday but she de-celebrates
Could Sulpicia have refused to go to the country estate to celebrate her birthday?
Not easily
Why is her birthday hated?
She doesn’t want to go to the country estate to celebrate it but it was hard to refuse
Who is this poem addressed to?
Messalla
What is the motif of this poem?
A girl out of reach in a country villa
What is the cycle of her poems about?
Sulpicia’s birthday and Cerinthus’ celebrations
What is the change in tone?
From ‘tristis’ to ‘dulcius’
What sort of argument is she creating? What would make it more humorous?
A humorously indirect one. It is completely addressed to Messalla
Who else had an Arretine villa?
Atticus - confident of Cicero
If Messalla is in Arretian fields what does that suggest about the area?
Attractive and ‘flash’
What is contrary to elegiac practice?
Having ‘atque’ before a consonant
What is in favour of the poem and Sulpicia’s genuineness?
The unobviousness of ‘Arezzo’
What season could this be in? Why?
Winter. ‘Frigidus amnis’ or ‘frigidus annus’
What does she mean by ‘you are too fond’?
You worry about me too much
Which word is colloquial in line 5?
‘Quiescas’
Is ‘quiescas’ a frequent word?
Yes
What is slightly confusing about her address to Messalla?
‘Propinque’ is quite a general term for uncle or other close relative. Why did she use such a general term?
What case is ‘propinque’?
Vocative
Which part is humorous?
The idea of her being abducted by Messalla is a hyperbole
Who is ‘sinis’ addressed to?
Messalla
What is the normal idiomatic case with ‘arbitrio’? What would the phrase mean if it was genitive?
Genitive with esse. ‘Be under my control, within my competence’
Why is the phrase ‘arbitrio’ instead?
For active verbs
The genitive of neuter verbs gives what?
A pause
How many times is Cerinthus mentioned in this poem?
There is only one
Where is Arretium?
Northern Etruria. A town in Tuscany near Messalla’s villa
Where is there a parallel to poem 3.15?
‘Agendus’ and ‘tristis’
Why does Sulpicia complain about Messalla’s cares?
She has no freedom
What do we infer about Sulpicia’s life from this poem?
Her father is dead so she is living, unmarried, with Messalla
How do we know ‘molesto’ goes with ‘rure’ not ‘Cerintho’?
Modifies nearer noun
Does Sulpicia ever address Cerinthus as affectionately as Catullus does with Lesbia?
No
How does she address Cerinthus?
In a negative way all the time. In this poem she is referring to their potential separation
How do we know that ‘frigidus’ is figurative?
The river referred to is the Arno river which is not notably cold
What is ‘Arretino agro’?
Ablative of place or separation
What is ‘propinque’?
A kinsman. Someone near and dear
Which idiom is ‘arbitrio meo’ similar to? What effect is this?
‘Sua sponte’ and legalistic effect
