Verse - Catullus struggles with love

Question 1

What is the main focus of this poem?

Answer 1

Catullus feels he is owed a better deal in love by the gods for his previous good service. He has been a faithful lover to Lesbia but now he must get over his affair

Question 2

What do the first six lines show about how Catullus is feeling?

Answer 2

He is comforting himself. It is this idea about doing something good results in better things

Question 3

Why is “pium” used in the second sentence?

Answer 3

Shows reverence to gods - good citizen

Question 4

Why is “nec” repeated?

Answer 4

Emphasises on not doing these things - again shows he is a good person

Question 5

Why is “Catulle” in the vocative case?

Answer 5

Talks to himself - giving himself advice (slight pause in the poem)

Question 6

What are lines five and six beginning with multa and ex suggesting?

Answer 6

Catullus telling himself to not give up

Question 7

Why have the infinitive “dicere” and “facere” been repeated in a different form (dictaque factaque) in the same sentence?

Answer 7

This repetition shows that he has already been done those things (perfect passive) - He has done everything that he can possibly do to Lesbia

Question 8

Whats interesting about the line “ingratae perierunt credita menti”?

Answer 8

The word order reflects the meaning of how he feels

Question 9

What is the importance of the repetition of why “quare” and “cur”?

Answer 9

Shows the pain Catullus is feeling

Question 10

What do the rhetorical questions on lines 10 and 11 suggest?

Answer 10

That he is still in love with her

Question 11

Why do the rhetorical questions end in “excrucies” and “miser”?

Answer 11

Emphasises how upset he feels

Question 12

What is the use of the anaphora at the beginning of lines 13 and 14 and having “amorem” at the end of line 13?

Answer 12

Shows that love is difficult and hard to put aside feelings

Question 13

Why are “una salus haec est” and “non pote sive pote” good phrases on lines 15-16?

Answer 13

Straight to the point - he knows that there is no other way forward unless you put the love aside (no other options)

Question 14

What are the uses of the conditionals beginning with “si”

Answer 14

He is pleading to the gods and is desperate for their help by telling them that he has lived a pure life (also show again by “eripite” on line 20)

Question 15

What does the line “extremam iam ipsa in morte tulistis opem” represent?

Answer 15

Show that the love is killing him (as the word morte -death - is in the middle of extremam and opem)

Question 16

What does “me miserum” show about his feelings?

Answer 16

Catullus is very miserable

Question 17

Why is the alliteration used “pestem perniciemque” (disease of destruction”

Answer 17

Harsh sounding words reflecting how he feels about the love (which is very negative and sad)

Question 18

What does “torpor” in line 21 show?

Answer 18

Shows he is depressed and fixed in this state of mind

Question 19

What does “laetitas” at the end of line 22 show?

Answer 19

The main effect the love had on him

Question 20

How do we know that Catullus wants to be strong?

Answer 20

The use of the word “valere” suggests this as he knows he needs to forget this

Question 21

What two words show that he understands the feelings really need to be put aside (line 25)

Answer 21

• Taetrum (vile)

- Morbum (disease)

Question 22

What does the last line of then poem mean?

Answer 22

Hes been good and therefore the gods should be good to him back - they had a deal!

Question 23

What is the motif of the poem?

Answer 23

He lived well so deserves to be happy