Tibullus 25

Question 1

What is the main theme of poem 25?

Answer 1

care-free country life vs life of a soldier plus wealth not needed for happiness

Question 2

A small crop is enough; enough indeed to rest on a mattress, if I can, and refresh my limbs on my familiar bed. How pleasant to hear the unbending gales from the bedroom, holding my mistress in my unwarlike arms; or when a wintery Auster has poured out its icy waters, to pursue, with the rain’s assistance, a carefree sleep

Answer 2

Tibullus extoles the comfort of country life. In previous lines in this poem he has highlighted the discomforts of military life, and this one is much preferable

Question 3

Or when a wintry Auster has poured out its icy waters

Answer 3

Auster, the south wind, was traditionally regarded as rainy and stormy

Question 4

small crop

Answer 4

simple things

Question 5

unbending gales from the bedroom

Answer 5

idyllic- a soldier has to endure, but Tibullus is cosy in bed

Question 6

all the gold there is and all the emeralds may perish sooner than that any girl should weep for my journeyings

Answer 6

travelling for trade or serving in the army far from home

Question 7

he may be the rich one rightly who can endure the madness of the sea and the unsmiling rains

Answer 7

making money from trade

Question 8

Messalla

Answer 8

Messala

She was MarcusValerius Messala Corvinus, who was a soldier, orator and statesman. He was Tibullus’ patron and a close friend of Augustus

Question 9

praeferat

Answer 9

display

spoils of war at a triumph

Question 10

vincila

Answer 10

chains

Bonds of love are a common theme in Latin love poetry. The lover’s closed door in line 16 is another. the door was sometimes personified. The door-keeper was often chained to his post

Question 11

tu manes ne laede meos, sed parce solutis crinibus et teneris, Delia parce genis

Answer 11

Dont harm my ghost, but spare your flowing locks, Delia spare your tender cheeks

It was customary for the mourners at funerals to tear their hair out and scratch their cheeks as a token of grief, and as a kind of offering to the dead. Tibullus shows his concern for Delia by asking her not to spoil her look for him

Question 12

hic ego dux milesque bonus: vos signa tubaeque ite procul, cupidis vulnera ferte viris ferte et opes: ego composito securus acervo despiciam dives despiciamque famem

Answer 12

Here I am a good general and soldier; you standards and trumpets, go far from here, and take your wounds for greedy men, take your wealth too I am free from care with the pile I have heaped up that I might despise riches, despise hunger.

These lines link the main theme of love, the simple country life, war and riches. Tibullus’ dream of an ideal ritual life is not unique, but was also a theme that was popular with other poets of that time

Question 13

te… me

Answer 13

you… me

contrast between him and a soldier’s life

Question 14

bellare

Answer 14

wage war

Question 15

ut domus hostiles praeferat exuvias

Answer 15

your house may display the enemy spoils

Question 16

me retinent vinctum formosae vincla puellae

Answer 16

the chains of a beautiful girl hold me bound up

Imagery of a prisoner of war= he is a slave to love

Question 17

et sedeo duras ianitor ante fores

Answer 17

and I sit as doorkeeper in front of harsh door

His battle of the locked out lover

Question 18

non ego laudari curo

Answer 18

I do not care about being praised

This is similar to propertius 23 and Ovid 7 as they dont want the fame of a soldier

Question 19

te spectem suprema mihi cum venerit hora

Answer 19

If I could look at you at my last hour

he doesnt want to die alone on the battle feild he wants to be surrounded by the ones he loves

Question 20

moriens deficient manu

Answer 20

with failing hand as I die

Question 21

flebis… flebis

Answer 21

you will weep… you will weep

he wants people to cry for him

Question 22

arsuro

Answer 22

set alight

cremated

Question 23

tristibus et lacrimis oscula mixta dabis

Answer 23

you will give me kisses mixed with sad tears

Question 24

duro ferro

Answer 24

harsh iron

His loved ones wont have to worry about him dieing on battle feild by a sword

Question 25

illo non iuvenis poterit de funere quisqiam lumina, non virgo, sicca referre domum

Answer 25

no young man nor no young girl will be able to go home from the funeral with dry eyes

wants people to morn him- he will be remembered for his poetry similar to ovid 7 and propertius 23

Question 26

iungamus amores

Answer 26

let us join our love

Death in old age= love not for old people

Question 27

Mors

Answer 27

Death

personification of death as if it is an actual person the same idea as the grim reaper

Question 28

nunc levis est tractanda Venus

Answer 28

now light love must be delt with

now= living in the moment
personification of love

Question 29

dicere nec cano blanditias capite

Answer 29

nor to say sweet nothings with grey hair

love not for old people

Question 30

cupidis

Answer 30

greedy

Question 31

hic ego dux milesque bonus

Answer 31

here I am a good general and soldier

Question 32

despiciam dives

Answer 32

despise riches

start of poem talkes about him not wanting riches= ring composition